


The Book of Merle

by EnglishPoet18



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 21:30:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 37,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3149132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story takes place at the end of the recent season (season 3). The Governor has gone and no one knows if or when he will return. The group is further cleaning out the prison and trying to decide whether they should stay or go. Merle and Beth begin to notice an unlikely attraction between the two of them. Can Merle actually have a relationship? Read and find out ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Beth Greene sighed for the hundreth time as she tried to put the gun back together. Rick had asked her if she would clean the guns and do an inventory check of weapons and she had agreed. Except when he had asked her if she had cleaned a gun before, she had stupidly said yes when she knew she hadn't. So now here she was, sitting at the picnic table and trying to clean a gun she really knew nothing about. She had counted and logged their inventory already so this was the only thing left to do and she was determined to get it done.

She cursed inside her head as she turned the gun around and tried to push the thing with the bullets back inside.

"Jesus Christ! Ya got a death wish girlie?" Merle's voice rang out behind her and he snatched the gun out of her hands swiftly.

She ducked her head in embarassment. Of all the people to see her fumbling, it would have to be Merle. He intimidated her in a big way and he never cared who he pissed off. He would speak his mind in a heartbeat whether you liked it or not. Beth wasn't used to people like that.

She watched him take out the bullets and take apart the gun. He squinted down the barrel to make certain it wasn't loaded and set it on the table with the others. He walked around to the other side of the table and glared at her.

"Cat got that pretty little tongue o' yours?" He asked with a smile.

She swallowed and told herself that she would not let him intimidate her like he did everyone else. "I don't know much about guns." She admitted with a raised chin.

"Then why you out here pretendin' to clean em'?"

Beth's face flamed and she stood up. "I'm not pretending! At least I'm trying to do something to help out instead of walking around pissing everyone off!" She yelled. She immediately regretted it as he frowned.

Then he smiled at her. "Hmph, they some fire in you yet girl. I know a way we can put that energy ta use." He winked.

Beth flushed. "Why are you so vulgar?"

"Why are you so _innocent?_ " He shot back.

"I don't need your attitude. Please leave, I'll figure it out." Beth began picking up the pieces to the gun and running a cloth dipped in oil over them. Merle stood there watching with his arms crossed for a few minutes.

"Ah, hell. Give me the damn gun! You're gonna ruin it with too much oil and it'll be useless." He grumbled.

She watched him swiftly wipe down all of the parts and put them back together quicker than it had taken her to bring them all out. Even with one hand, he was still fast and she grew fascinated as she leaned over to watch him.

"Enjoyin' yerself?" He asked without looking up.

She sat back quickly. "You're very good with those."

"Darlin' I been cleanin' and handlin' guns since I was just a boy. You gotta treat a gun like you treat a woman; you rub it nice an' easy, get it all slick and then when ya done, wipe it off. You keep it safe at yer side and don't let nothin' happen to it." He said with a wink in her direction.

"'Ere," He slid a gun to her. "Follow my lead."

He grabbed another gun and checked to see if it was loaded while she followed suit. He began taking it apart piece by piece and she hurried to keep up. She fumbled with a spring but finally got it and she began cleaning it as he was doing. When they finally put it back together, Beth felt a sense of pride. She had actually learned something beneficial. She was tired of being just Judith's babysitter. She wanted to be her own person. She wanted to _fight._

"Thank you." She beamed at him.

He stared at her for a minute then stood up. "Better get on that if ya don't wanna be here all night." He nodded down at the guns and walked off.

...

Beth was happy to tell Rick she had finished the guns and inventory and when he inspected behind her, he seemed surprised to admit that she had done a good job.

She went inside to find Carol getting ready for dinner. Daryl had caught a rabbit and he had cleaned it and brought her the meat. She was chopping it into pieces for stew when she noticed Beth.

"Need some help?" Beth asked her.

"No, I think I got it. Could you keep an ear out for Judith though? She should be waking up any time now." Carol said to her.

"Okay." Beth replied and went to peek in at Judith who was still sleeping.

Walking further down she spotted Maggie talking to some of the women from Woodbury. After they had bussed them here Rick, Daryl, Merle, and Glenn had cleaned out another cell block for them to use so that it wasn't so crowded.

"Hey. What's going on?" She asked as she walked up and the women walked away.

"I was just getting a list from the women of anything they might need. We need to make a run into town soon and we should probably get as much as possible to risk having to venture out anymore for a while." Maggie replied.

"Oh. Maybe I could come?" Beth asked nonchalantly.

Maggie laughed until she figured out that her sister was serious. "You're not ready." She protested.

"I can get someone to train me. What about Daryl or Michonne?" Beth said.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "I don't know." She hesitated. "Maybe you should ask daddy."

"Ask me what?" Hershel spoke from behind them as he came out of his cell.

Beth crossed her arms in front of her. "I want to go on the next run."

Hershel stared at her for a moment. "Why?"

"What if something happens to you? Or Maggie? How am I supposed to be able to defend myself? Besides, I'm sick of only being a babysitter. I want to be an active member of the group." Beth said.

Hershel glanced at Maggie who shrugged and back to Beth who still wore a look of determination. "Who is going to teach you?"

Beth faltered. "I'm not sure. I figured on asking Daryl or Michonne."

Hershel was silent as he pondered this. "Alright. Get someone to train you for a week and if Rick thinks you're fit, I'll give my consent."

Beth hugged her Daddy tightly. "You won't regret it!" She smiled.

...

Later that night, Beth was tossing and turning in her cell. She hadn't had a chance to approach Daryl or Michonne on giving her some training so she hoped to catch them in the morning. It was unbearably hot and she was sweating profusely. She would give anything for a fan to blow a cool breeze or some air conditioning. She groaned as she remembered the coolness of air conditioning in the summer. She had always taken things like that for granted.

Jumping up from her bunk, she pulled on shorts to wear with her tank. Padding lightly, she crossed the cell block and through the kitchen area to the outside. Pushing open the door, she sighed as the night air bathed her in it's cool mist. If she was braver, she might consider sleeping outside but she wasn't quite that brave.

She crossed the yard and went to the grass to lie back and look at the stars. In minutes, she was asleep.

...

Merle was pacing back and forth in the guard shack when a flash of white to his left down below caught his attention. The girl he had helped earlier was walking across the yard and as he watched in amazement, she actually lay down on the grass. He watched for a few more minutes but she didn't move and he cursed as he realized she must have fallen asleep.

"Damn fool!" He muttered to himself as he walked down the stairs to the yard below.

He silently walked up to where she lay and cast a glance at her face to confirm what he already thought- she was asleep. He rolled his eyes and nudged her with his boot.

"Hey! What the fuck you think yer doin'? This is the second time today I caught ya bein' careless! If I didn't know better, I would think ya had a death wish!" Merle growled.

Beth gasped and sat up. She instinctively rubbed her wrists at his words. He didn't realize how true they were once upon a time.

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to fall asleep. It was just so hot inside and I couldn't sleep so I came out here to cool off." She said.

Merle studied her as she stood up. He could see she wasn't wearing a bra and her shorts were so short they were almost underwear. He swore to himself and shook his head.

"Bad idea to be wanderin' around outside in the dark by yerself. Never know what kind a' danger lurks at night." Merle drawled as his eyes roamed her body again slowly.

Beth reached up to cross her arms over her chest to cover herself. She hadn't thought about running into anyone. She should have remembered someone would be on watch though, what with the Governor still out there somewhere. They hadn't been able to fully rest around there, not knowing where he was and what he was up to.

"Thanks for coming to wake me up. I better go back inside. I'll be more careful next time." She said softly.

She brushed past Merle and he caught her wrist with his one good hand.

"I meant it Darlin'. The dark ain't no place for a girl such as yerself to be wanderin' around unprotected."

She pulled her wrist from his grasp and she could still feel the heat of him. "I'm not a girl. I'm a woman." She replied softly as she walked away.

He watched her walk away. Her hips swaying slightly as she crossed the yard to go back inside. Her blond hair glistened in the moonlight and he briefly wondered how it would feel to run his fingers through it. He laughed at himself.

"Don't be a pervert." He said as he walked back up to the guard tower.


	2. Chapter 2

Beth Greene sighed for the hundreth time as she tried to put the gun back together. Rick had asked her if she would clean the guns and do an inventory check of weapons and she had agreed. Except when he had asked her if she had cleaned a gun before, she had stupidly said yes when she knew she hadn't. So now here she was, sitting at the picnic table and trying to clean a gun she really knew nothing about. She had counted and logged their inventory already so this was the only thing left to do and she was determined to get it done.

She cursed inside her head as she turned the gun around and tried to push the thing with the bullets back inside.

"Jesus Christ! Ya got a death wish girlie?" Merle's voice rang out behind her and he snatched the gun out of her hands swiftly.

She ducked her head in embarassment. Of all the people to see her fumbling, it would have to be Merle. He intimidated her in a big way and he never cared who he pissed off. He would speak his mind in a heartbeat whether you liked it or not. Beth wasn't used to people like that.

She watched him take out the bullets and take apart the gun. He squinted down the barrel to make certain it wasn't loaded and set it on the table with the others. He walked around to the other side of the table and glared at her.

"Cat got that pretty little tongue o' yours?" He asked with a smile.

She swallowed and told herself that she would not let him intimidate her like he did everyone else. "I don't know much about guns." She admitted with a raised chin.

"Then why you out here pretendin' to clean em'?"

Beth's face flamed and she stood up. "I'm not pretending! At least I'm trying to do something to help out instead of walking around pissing everyone off!" She yelled. She immediately regretted it as he frowned.

Then he smiled at her. "Hmph, they some fire in you yet girl. I know a way we can put that energy ta use." He winked.

Beth flushed. "Why are you so vulgar?"

"Why are you so _innocent?_ " He shot back.

"I don't need your attitude. Please leave, I'll figure it out." Beth began picking up the pieces to the gun and running a cloth dipped in oil over them. Merle stood there watching with his arms crossed for a few minutes.

"Ah, hell. Give me the damn gun! You're gonna ruin it with too much oil and it'll be useless." He grumbled.

She watched him swiftly wipe down all of the parts and put them back together quicker than it had taken her to bring them all out. Even with one hand, he was still fast and she grew fascinated as she leaned over to watch him.

"Enjoyin' yerself?" He asked without looking up.

She sat back quickly. "You're very good with those."

"Darlin' I been cleanin' and handlin' guns since I was just a boy. You gotta treat a gun like you treat a woman; you rub it nice an' easy, get it all slick and then when ya done, wipe it off. You keep it safe at yer side and don't let nothin' happen to it." He said with a wink in her direction.

"'Ere," He slid a gun to her. "Follow my lead."

He grabbed another gun and checked to see if it was loaded while she followed suit. He began taking it apart piece by piece and she hurried to keep up. She fumbled with a spring but finally got it and she began cleaning it as he was doing. When they finally put it back together, Beth felt a sense of pride. She had actually learned something beneficial. She was tired of being just Judith's babysitter. She wanted to be her own person. She wanted to _fight._

"Thank you." She beamed at him.

He stared at her for a minute then stood up. "Better get on that if ya don't wanna be here all night." He nodded down at the guns and walked off.

...

Beth was happy to tell Rick she had finished the guns and inventory and when he inspected behind her, he seemed surprised to admit that she had done a good job.

She went inside to find Carol getting ready for dinner. Daryl had caught a rabbit and he had cleaned it and brought her the meat. She was chopping it into pieces for stew when she noticed Beth.

"Need some help?" Beth asked her.

"No, I think I got it. Could you keep an ear out for Judith though? She should be waking up any time now." Carol said to her.

"Okay." Beth replied and went to peek in at Judith who was still sleeping.

Walking further down she spotted Maggie talking to some of the women from Woodbury. After they had bussed them here Rick, Daryl, Merle, and Glenn had cleaned out another cell block for them to use so that it wasn't so crowded.

"Hey. What's going on?" She asked as she walked up and the women walked away.

"I was just getting a list from the women of anything they might need. We need to make a run into town soon and we should probably get as much as possible to risk having to venture out anymore for a while." Maggie replied.

"Oh. Maybe I could come?" Beth asked nonchalantly.

Maggie laughed until she figured out that her sister was serious. "You're not ready." She protested.

"I can get someone to train me. What about Daryl or Michonne?" Beth said.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "I don't know." She hesitated. "Maybe you should ask daddy."

"Ask me what?" Hershel spoke from behind them as he came out of his cell.

Beth crossed her arms in front of her. "I want to go on the next run."

Hershel stared at her for a moment. "Why?"

"What if something happens to you? Or Maggie? How am I supposed to be able to defend myself? Besides, I'm sick of only being a babysitter. I want to be an active member of the group." Beth said.

Hershel glanced at Maggie who shrugged and back to Beth who still wore a look of determination. "Who is going to teach you?"

Beth faltered. "I'm not sure. I figured on asking Daryl or Michonne."

Hershel was silent as he pondered this. "Alright. Get someone to train you for a week and if Rick thinks you're fit, I'll give my consent."

Beth hugged her Daddy tightly. "You won't regret it!" She smiled.

...

Later that night, Beth was tossing and turning in her cell. She hadn't had a chance to approach Daryl or Michonne on giving her some training so she hoped to catch them in the morning. It was unbearably hot and she was sweating profusely. She would give anything for a fan to blow a cool breeze or some air conditioning. She groaned as she remembered the coolness of air conditioning in the summer. She had always taken things like that for granted.

Jumping up from her bunk, she pulled on shorts to wear with her tank. Padding lightly, she crossed the cell block and through the kitchen area to the outside. Pushing open the door, she sighed as the night air bathed her in it's cool mist. If she was braver, she might consider sleeping outside but she wasn't quite that brave.

She crossed the yard and went to the grass to lie back and look at the stars. In minutes, she was asleep.

...

Merle was pacing back and forth in the guard shack when a flash of white to his left down below caught his attention. The girl he had helped earlier was walking across the yard and as he watched in amazement, she actually lay down on the grass. He watched for a few more minutes but she didn't move and he cursed as he realized she must have fallen asleep.

"Damn fool!" He muttered to himself as he walked down the stairs to the yard below.

He silently walked up to where she lay and cast a glance at her face to confirm what he already thought- she was asleep. He rolled his eyes and nudged her with his boot.

"Hey! What the fuck you think yer doin'? This is the second time today I caught ya bein' careless! If I didn't know better, I would think ya had a death wish!" Merle growled.

Beth gasped and sat up. She instinctively rubbed her wrists at his words. He didn't realize how true they were once upon a time.

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to fall asleep. It was just so hot inside and I couldn't sleep so I came out here to cool off." She said.

Merle studied her as she stood up. He could see she wasn't wearing a bra and her shorts were so short they were almost underwear. He swore to himself and shook his head.

"Bad idea to be wanderin' around outside in the dark by yerself. Never know what kind a' danger lurks at night." Merle drawled as his eyes roamed her body again slowly.

Beth reached up to cross her arms over her chest to cover herself. She hadn't thought about running into anyone. She should have remembered someone would be on watch though, what with the Governor still out there somewhere. They hadn't been able to fully rest around there, not knowing where he was and what he was up to.

"Thanks for coming to wake me up. I better go back inside. I'll be more careful next time." She said softly.

She brushed past Merle and he caught her wrist with his one good hand.

"I meant it Darlin'. The dark ain't no place for a girl such as yerself to be wanderin' around unprotected."

She pulled her wrist from his grasp and she could still feel the heat of him. "I'm not a girl. I'm a woman." She replied softly as she walked away.

He watched her walk away. Her hips swaying slightly as she crossed the yard to go back inside. Her blond hair glistened in the moonlight and he briefly wondered how it would feel to run his fingers through it. He laughed at himself.

"Don't be a pervert." He said as he walked back up to the guard tower.


	3. Chapter 3

"Come on, you son of a bitch! Lil' bit closer." Merle muttered as he walked the fence. He was trailing a walker that hadn't quite got close enough for him to stick it yet but he knew it would. They couldn't resist the opportunity at fresh meat.

"Come to daddy you fucker!" Merle yelled as it stumbled within his reach. He stuck his arm with the blade out and gutted it through the neck, twisting as he pulled it back out.

 _God, that felt good to blow off some steam._ He stretched his arms a little and cracked his neck. Beth's face popped in his mind and he shook his head to clear it. _Damn lil' blonde got under his skin._ He sighed and continued walking the fence. He had walked maybe ten minutes without seeing any walkers when he spotted a figure out by the fences. A figure with _blonde hair._

"What the hell she doin'?" He muttered to himself. He walked closer until he could see her clearer. "Damn woman's got a set a balls on 'er. I'll be damn." He shook his head with a grin.

Beth was stabbing the walkers one by one. She had taken a stick to the fence to attract them to her with noise and it had worked like a charm. She now had a nice set of targets with which to practice before her session later today with Daryl. She was careful about it though, she didn't want to make the mistake of getting too close like last time; especially with no one around to save her.

Merle stood off to the side, unnoticed, behind her with his arms crossed. He had to admit, she was persistent. He watched her ass as she bent and attacked the walkers. Her shorts were so tiny he could almost see the smooth skin underneath. He muttered a curse and had to resituate his pants. Now, he really _did_ feel like a pervert.

He watched her until she got to the last one and then she got sloppy. She must have been feeling pretty confident and let her guard down. As he watched, her shirt got caught on the fence. Panicking, she dropped her knife and the walker made a grab for her. He watched her struggle for a minute to see if she could handle it. Finally he got tired of watching her struggle and kick at the walkers hands. He strode over to the fence and rammed his knife through the walkers chin and into its skull. Just as swiftly, he sliced his blade down and cut her shirt free from the fence.

She stumbled backwards, panting loudly. She took a few minutes to gather herself then she whirled on him. He was ready for it and he grinned. That further pissed her off and he was momentarily stunned with how pretty she looked all riled up.

"I had everything under control!" She yelled.

"Ah, yes. I could tell by how ya panicked back there and dropped yer knife." He said sarcastically.

"Screw you! I would have gotten away!"

It appeared Maggie wasn't the only Greene girl with fire. This little blonde was a stick of dynamite waiting to be discovered. He eyed her curiously. He could see the emotions swirling in her big beautiful eyes. He recognized them all: fear, anger, annoyance, and...lust. He chuckled to himself. If there was one thing Merle Dixon recognized, it was when a woman was turned on. _Things just got a whole lot more interestin'._

"What is so funny?" Beth demanded.

"Nothin' sugar. Jus' watchin' you get yerself all worked up over one lil' walker." He mused.

She sighed and sat on the grass. "They're never going to let me fight are they?"

She looked so defeated that Merle was temporarily speechless. He wasn't one to comfort.

"Maybe ya gotta get tha right teacher." He said.

She looked up at him. He was towering over her. He watched her eyes as they traveled up his body to his face. Certain parts of his body began to react to the attention and he shifted his stance again.

"You would teach me?" She asked.

Merle thought about that. His brother wouldn't be none to happy. Not to mention what the others might say, including the farmer. Merle was stuck playing bitch to Officer Friendly and there was nothing he hated more. But this was where his brother was and if he wanted to stay, he had to try and play nice. Only problem was, _nice_ wasn't a word in Merle Dixon's vocabulary.

"I got a proposition for you darlin'. How's about we let my brotha keep training you during the day and me and you's meet at night for a _real_ training session?"

"Why not during the day?" Beth asked.

"In case ya ain't noticed, I ain't exactly liked too well round here. How ya think yer pops and the group gonna react with me trainin' ya?"

Beth looked at her hands thoughtfully. Then she nodded. "Alright. When?"

"When everyone gets ta sleep good. Sneak out and meet me at the guard tower. I got watch. We can go over some techniques ya might find useful." He said.

She stood up. "Okay. I'll see you then." She smiled at him and walked back up the hill towards the prison.

He stood there for a minute and watched her ass sway back and forth as she walked. Cursing, he adjusted his pants _yet again._

...

Beth made it through her session with Daryl that afternoon without him sensing anything was up. She actually did really well and Daryl said he thought she was improving nicely. She couldn't get over how different the two brothers were. Daryl was more patient with her than Merle. Daryl could have a temper but he kept it in check a lot better than his brother and he didn't taunt her the way Merle did.

Only problem was, it was the taunting she responded too. She seemed to do better when angry. No one seemed to provoke her anger quicker than Merle though. It baffled her because she had always been a quiet, even tempered woman. Until Merle. The weirdest part of it all is that he actually seemed to get a kick out of her reactions.

She shook her head and finished preparing dinner. Carol claimed a headache so Beth had volunteered to cook the evening meal. She enjoyed cooking for the most part. They never really had anything fancy or that required much preparation though. Tonight they were having noodles and spaghetti sause; no meat. Meat was a luxury for the most part. They owed any meat they were able to eat to Daryl and lately, Merle. Except the brothers couldn't go out everyday and even when they did, there were no guarantees of finding game.

She stirred the pot of noodles and sauce and decided it was as good as it was going to get.

"Hi sweetheart, what are we having?" Hershel said as he walked up behind her on his crutches.

"Spaghetti." She told him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

He smiled at her. "Smells wonderful."

She laughed. "I know you're only saying that because I cooked it."

Hershel smiled. "I can't ever get anything over on you girls."

"That's because we know you too well." Maggie said as she came inside.

She hugged him and walked over to sit across from him. Soon after, the others started filing in. Beth began dipping out portions onto plates as the room started filling up. It was a little harder to feed everyone with the new residents from Woodbury added to the prison. At least most of them seemed polite from what she could tell. A couple of them were elderly and she worried about them surviving the awful heat of summer in the prison. They didn't have the luxuries that Woodbury had offered them.

She kept dipping plate after plate, lost in thought. She only looked up when she felt his presense. He had the ability to dominate any room he entered. There was something about the way he carried himself that commanded attention.

He had just entered the prison and he surveyed the area before coming over to her. Grabbing the plate from her hand, she felt his fingers brush hers. He didn't say anything, he just walked away. She watched him secretly as he carried his plate over to a corner of the prison and sat on some steps to eat. She felt bad, watching him eat alone but it was clear to her that he didn't care in the least.

Daryl was the last to come in and Merle looked over at him as he entered.

"Kicked ass today girl." Daryl commented as he grabbed his plate from her.

She flushed from the praise as he walked away. Turning back to grab her plate, she caught Merle's eye and he winked. Feeling the heat creep up her neck, she swiped her plate and went to join the others.

...

Merle retired to his cell before everyone else. He didn't care to hang out with all those people who hated his guts anyhow. Except for blondie. She had potential. There was something about her that Merle felt himself drawn to and he wasn't sure he liked that. He had had a few regular women in his day. There had been a couple of memorable ones, but none that had lasted his attitude. He had had plenty of one night stands and he was very skilled at pleasing a woman in bed. He could turn on the old Dixon charm like no other and he had used that to his advantage plenty of times.

Like the farmer's daughter for instance. He could tell he was getting under her skin. He hadn't met a woman yet who was completely immune to his charms when he turned them on.

He frowned to himself as he lay on his bunk. He had to be careful and not let her get too close though. Do some harmless flirting and have a little fun but that had to be it. He had to stay focused and the last thing he needed was a piece of ass getting in the way.

If the Governor showed his ugly face again, Merle would be ready.

...

Beth had seen Merle exit the group and enter his cell earlier. No one else had been paying attention but she had seen him. She was excited about the prospect of training with him tonight. It was awful that they had to sneak to do it, but she understood his reasoning. If anyone found out that Beth was letting Merle train her, there would be hell to pay.

Faking a yawn she turned to her daddy and kissed him on the cheek.

"Going to bed honey?" Hershel asked.

Beth nodded. "Goodnight everyone." She called. There were murmured goodnights as she walked to her cell. She could hear Tyreese and Rick telling stories from their younger days and the group's laughter followed her.

She lay down on her bunk and tried to be patient. She sighed and tried to get comfortable. From the sounds of it, it was going to be a long night. She must have drifted off because when she came too, she realized the prison was quiet. The only sounds to be heard were snoring and mattresses squeaking as others tossed and turned. She wondered how long she had been out.

 _Was Merle already out there?_ She hurriedly grabbed her shoes and tied her hair back from her face. She exited the cell with her shoes in her hand and paused to listen. Satisfied that no one was moving about, she crept on. She finally made it to the outer door and opened it just enough to slip out. It was pitch black out. Standing outside she slipped on her shoes and jogged over to the guard tower.

She opened the door quietly and walked up the steps. She found him standing at the railing at the top. The light from the lantern they had just barely illiminated the tiny room. He didn't turn to her as she entered.

"Yer late." He said.

"I fell asleep." She explained as she walked out to the rail.

"Hmph. Let's get on with it." He turned to look at her finally.

In the darkness his features were softened and she took a moment to study him.

"Checkin' out tha' merchandise?" He quipped.

She blinked. "No! I'm ready." She said.

He chuckled. "We'll start with some basics wit' a gun. Ya need ta be able to hold it without blowin' yer foot off. You _do_ know which end the bullet shoots out, dontcha?"

Beth glared at him. "I'm not _that_ ignorant."

He didn't reply and instead walked over to a table in the corner and grabbed up a gun. It was a smaller gun than she had seen the others use. She was a little hesitant about using guns but she knew she would need the knowledge in the future. He held it out to her.

"Grab it 'ere." He gestured. She grabbed it and tested the weight. It was relatively light and turning it in her hands she realized it might not be too bad.

"Spread yer legs." He said and grinned wickedly.

"Funny." She replied.

She planted her feet apart and waited. He walked behind her and she felt his hand on her waist and then his boot nudged her feet further apart. Her breath caught at his touch.

"Don' be shy darlin'." He drawled. "Now, grip tha gun with both hands and point it in front of ya."

She complied and he walked back around to make a few adjustments. Seemingly satsfied, he nodded.

"Merle?" She asked suddenly.

His gaze met hers. "What?" He demanded.

She swallowed. She was starting to really become curious about the kind of man Merle was. She could tell he wasn't all bad or else he wouldn't have offered to help her. She had heard things from Carol about how bad Daryl had it when they were younger and she wondered if Merle had had a rough childhood too. Judging by how he acted most of the time, she guessed that her assumption was correct.

She relaxed her stance. "Why are you so angry all the time?"

His face flickered surprise then he narrowed his eyes at her. He strode away from the wall and slowly approached her. She swallowed and tried to hold her ground but she instinctively backed up until her back was against the wall. He stopped mere inches from her face. He put his blade arm above her head on the wall and she could feel his breath as it hit her face.

"Who said I was angry suga? Merle's a lova not a fighter." He smirked as he trailed a finger down her throat, between her breasts, and to her belly before stopping. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't speak. Her body was aching and she suddenly wished he would kiss her.

He must have noticed the change in the air because he pushed away from her with a growl. She reached out and grabbed his arm. He pushed her back to the wall forcefully.

"Don't ya know when ta leave well enough alone lil' girl?" He sneered.

She looked down at the floor for a moment and then met his gaze. "I...I'm sorry." She stammered.

"What do ya want from me?" He said roughly.

Her eyes focused on his mouth and she got the instinctive urge to press her thighs together. Her body ached like she had never felt before. Back when she had dated Jimmy, she had sometimes let his hand sneak up her shirt but never anything more. Here she was, standing in front of a man who had probably been with more women than she had hairs on her head and she desperately wanted him to kiss her.

"Ya don't know what yer askin'." He growled.

She reached out with a hand to touch his chest but he grabbed it and pinned it to the wall by her head.

"Please." She muttered.

"Please... _what?_ "

"Kiss me." She breathed.

He frowned and she thought that he must not find her attractive. She flushed a bright red in embarassment. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but his hand was iron tight around her wrist.

"Ya know how old I am?" He rasped.

She nodded. "I know you're older. It doesn't bother me."

He pushed away from her and laughed. "I can't take advantage of a lil' girl!"

She felt her temper rise. She was far from a little girl. She was eighteen and tired of everyone labeling her.

"Funny. I didn't think you were scared of anything." She shot at him.

He raised his brow and just as quickly had her pinned against the wall again. He glared at her.

"Las' chance, goldilocks." He said and his lips descended upon hers.

He nibbled on her bottom lip slowly. She moaned at the sensation and he took advantage of her open mouth to thrust his tongue inside. His tongue danced with hers and her legs grew weak. Feeling her sag, he let go of her wrist and used his body to pin her. She gasped at the feel of him pressed fully against her. His hand skirted the side of her breast and she jumped. He pulled back abruptly and walked away from her to the other side of the room. She stood there, panting, trying to calm her beating heart.

"Get out!" He suddenly growled. "You ain't got no idea what yer messin' wit' 'ere girlie."

Panicked and not knowing what else to do, she fled from the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Merle sat on the back of a rusted out pickup truck and looked out to where Beth was practicing with his brother. It had been two days since he had yelled at her and she had run out on him. She hadn't come back to him since and tomorrow they had a run scheduled.

He sharpened his blade while he watched her practice her technique. She had improved, he would give her that, but she was still far from being ready. At least she had a chance now though. She just needed to keep her emotions from getting in the way. That's one thing Merle never had a problem with. He had learned early on that emotions signaled weakness and weakness was unacceptable. Suffering a life of abuse had hardened him as a man.

He figured he shouldn't have yelled at her like that now that he had had time to think about it further. He wasn't apologizing but he knew he couldn't place all the blame on her either. No, he had wanted her with a fire that threatened to burn him to a crisp. Something about her made him want to protect her.

He laughed to himself. "Gettin' soft, you pussy. Toughen' up." He murmured.

"Merle." Rick said as he walked up.

Merle paused and glanced at him, then continued sharpening his blade. Rick stood there for a moment with his arms crossed and Merle waited him out.

"Listen, I was wondering if you would go on the run with Maggie, Glenn, and Beth tomorrow?" Rick asked.

Merle stopped. "You lettin' the girl go?"

Rick nodded. "She seems to have improved a lot and Hershel has given his consent. It should be an easy one, but I would like you there though, just in case."

Merle chuckled. "Why me and not my brotha?"

"Daryl is taking Carl to hunt tomorrow. I need him to stick close by."

"Ahh, I see. So you trustin' ole' Merle to take care of Chinaman and the two barbies?"

Rick huffed. "Listen, no one is happy about this. We have all agreed to try to get along for Daryl's sake. He's family to us too. I would like you to take this seriously."

Merle stood up. " _Everythin'_ I do I take seriously. How the hell you figure I made it this far? I certainly wasn't pickin' flowers and playin' house!"

Rick tensed up. "We did what we felt was right in order to survive and maintain a sense of normality around here. If you don't like it, you're free to leave at any time." He said through clenched teeth.

Merle smiled and held up his hands. "Hey, it's all good officer. Ain't no harm done. I'm 'ere for my brotha. I'll go tomorrow and keep an eye on thangs for ya."

They stared at each other for a few minutes, neither backing down. Finally Rick nodded and walked back to the prison.

...

The next morning, Merle was up before the others and had his bag all ready to go. He had added a few more weapons from his own personal stash and made sure he was armed before the others were around. He didn't like anyone knowing his business.

It wasn't long before there were signs of life from the prison. Glenn walked out and paid Merle no mind as he went to pull the car around. Maggie was next to appear and Beth had followed her out. Merle wasn't too happy about them letting her go on this run with the Governor out there.

No one knew the Governor like Merle. Merle had been his right-hand man for quite some time and he had seen things that would blow their minds. Images that plagued his brain at all hours of the day. Innocent people slaughtered like it was nothing. Merle may have been cold but he didn't get his kicks out of killing people just for the hell of it. He liked to think he was a little better than that. No one else believed that though, and that was just fine with him. The more they were scared, the more they left him alone.

...

"And just remember not to stray too far. Stay where Glenn and I can see you." Maggie told Beth for what felt like the hundreth time.

"Maggie, I got it." Beth said again.

Maggie glanced at her worriedly. "I'm sorry. It's just that I get worried. You haven't been out like the rest of us."

"I know but I've been practicing. I've got to start somewhere." Beth insisted.

Maggie smiled. "I know. Just -"

"'Be careful. I know." Beth interrupted her and Maggie laughed.

"Okay, I'm done now." Maggie said.

They walked over to where Glenn had just pulled the car up and Beth was shocked to see Merle leaning against the door. His face was expressionless as he stood there. Beth and Maggie exchanged a glance and Maggie walked over to Glenn.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Maggie whispered to Glenn.

Glenn shrugged. "Rick wants him as backup. Just in case. It was Rick's call." He explained.

Maggie shot Merle a look and he gave her a wink. She huffed and walked over to him.

"I'm not scared of you, you know. You may be coming with us today but don't try anything stupid. I'm not putting my sister at risk and I won't hesitate to kill you." She muttered to his face.

Merle smirked back at her. "Easy now. I ain't 'ere to put baby girl at risk. I'm 'ere in case _you_ two put her at risk."

Maggie started to respond but Beth pulled her away. "Maggie don't. Let's all just try to get along okay?" Maggie bristled but finally nodded and went to climb in the passenger side. Beth ended up in the back with Merle while Glenn drove.

Tyreese opened the gate and Michonne kept the walkers at bay as they drove through. They sat in silence for a while and Beth was intensely aware of Merle sitting mere inches from her.

She glanced at him and saw that his eyes were fixated out of the window. He was wearing his usual outfit: white tank, black button-up, and cargo pants. His blade was lying balanced on his leg and she took the opportunity to study it. It was crudely shaped and the cuff that covered his stump looked uncomfortable. She had thought it might be dirty but it appeared to be quite clean and the blade gleamed in the sunlight as they drove on.

They drove for about thirty minutes before stopping at a strip mall beside the road. It had a grocery store and a hardware store.

"What are we getting?" Beth asked.

"We need diapers, feminine and hygiene supplies, food, and anything else useful we can find." Maggie said. "Beth you can come with me."

"I don' think that's a good idea. She's still rusty and the two of ya could get overpowered. She can come wit' me and we'll hit this hardware store." Merle said.

Maggie started to protest but Glenn stopped her. "I hate to say it, but he's got a point. I wouldn't feel right with the two of you alone." Glenn said.

Maggie sighed but nodded. "Alright. We'll hit the grocery store and you two just round up whatever looks useful. We need to siphon some gas if we can find it while we're here." She turned in her seat to look at Merle. "Take care of my sister."

"Of course." Merle replied.

...

They climbed out of the vehicle and Glenn and Maggie took off in the direction of the groecery store and took out a couple of walkers along the way. Beth followed alongside Merle and gripped her knife tightly by her side.

Now that they were here, she was feeling a little nervous. There wasn't a fence separating them from walkers this time and she didn't know where they might pop up. Being with Merle did make her feel better though and she noticed he was constantly scanning the area.

He glanced at her as they approached the door to the hardware store. "Stay close." He said.

She nodded and they entered the store. It wasn't a big hardware store; there were only about seven aisles along with a register up front. Merle took out two walkers off to the side and she could see one in the back beginning to make its way towards them. She swallowed and glanced at Merle.

"Let's see what ya got darlin'. " He drawled and gestured to the walker.

Beth took a deep breath and went around the aisles and waited until she saw the walker turn the corner to head for the front. Gripping her knife she swung at the walker and managed to just barely drive her knife into its head. It crumpled onto the floor with a thud. Beth smiled and turned to Merle who had come around to look. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Immediately she felt him stiffen.

She pulled back and turned her face away so that he couldn't see her embarassment. He tipped her chin up with his hand.

"Hey now. None o' that. I think you misjudgin' me. It ain't that I'm not attracted to ya, it's jus' that it's dangerous for ya to want me." He said gruffly.

"It doesn't have to be. It can be our secret." She said.

Merle thought about that. It was hard to keep anything from anybody at the prison being as how there were so many people living there now. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes and he wanted to hit something.

"T'wouldn't work." Merle said.

"So you do want me?" Beth asked shyly.

Merle groaned. He grabbed her hand and placed it on his pants at his erection. "Whatcha think now girlie?"

Beth's eyes widened. She moved her hand and stood on tiptoe to pull his head down. He resisted a little at first and then let her pull him down to her. Her lips touched his hesistantly. She hadn't initiated a lot of sexual contact in her life and she wondered what he thought of her technique. She was sure she didn't measure up to the other women he had been with.

Merle let her kiss him for a few minutes and he kissed her back lazily. Sensing that she was getting ready to pull away, he used his arm to swipe a counter clean of debri and lifted her up onto it. She was a sight for his eyes with her lips all puckered out, chest heaving. Scanning the store again he pulled her to him for another kiss and his lips punished hers with their force. She brushed her hands under his tank and he stiffened. He didn't care much for people touching his scars and he especially didn't want to take the chance of innocent eyes seeing them in broad daylight. He slowly pushed her hands away and reached around to deftly unhook her bra with one hand. He laid her back onto the counter and pushed up her shirt to reveal her perky little breasts. She shyly tried to cover herself but he pushed her hands away.

"Now, now. Let me get a good look. Nothin' to be ashamed of sweets. Jus' two people havin' a lil' fun is all." He drawled.

He bent down and suckled at her nipple and she cried out at the sensations that coursed through her body. He placed a finger against her lips to shush her and continued his assault.

...

Beth's body felt like it was on fire. She had a throbbing between her legs and she wasn't sure how to ease it. He had his blade resting on the counter to support his weight and his other hand was resting on her belly and she tried to buck her hips to make it slide lower.

He grinned at her. "Slow down now. Ya don't rush it. Nice and easy."

"Please. I need..." Beth gasped.

"Shh...I know. Merle's gonna take ya there darlin'."

Beth felt his hand slide lower on her belly and he dipped his finger into the waistband of her shorts. She felt his tongue replace his hand and he licked a trail of fire across her stomach. His hand slowly found its way into her panties and she stilled as he found her center. Slowly he kept kissing her and she forgot her anxiety as the feelings of pleasure returned. He stroked her with his finger and his mouth stroked her with his tongue. The feelings began to build inside of her and Beth began to whimper as her body reached for something that she had never experienced. Just when she thought that her body couldn't begin to take anymore, she stiffened and felt her body spasm as waves of pleasure washed over her. Merle slowly eased his finger out of her and grinned at her.

Just as quickly his grin vanished as they heard voices. He cursed and went to peek out of the window.

"Best get ya clothes together sugar. "Ere comes your sister." He drawled.

Beth gasped and scrambled to get her clothes and her thoughts straight. She felt weak in the knees as she stood and made sure her shirt and shorts were where they were supposed to be.

Maggie entered and glanced around before spotting her. "Hey. Find anything good?" She asked.

Beth fumbled for a cover story. "Well-"

"Jus' some rope, couple knives, lanterns, and a lil' propane cooktop." Merle spoke from a few aisles over.

Beth glanced at him in disbelief. _How did he get over there so fast?_ Maggie seemed satisfied with that answer and she turned back to Beth.

"We're about ready. Glenn cleaned out the pharmacy of what they had left and I think I got a good bit of stuff for the rest of us. He's loading it up now so I better go check on him. Coming?" Maggie asked.

Beth nodded. "Just a second. I want to make sure Merle doesn't need my help."

Maggie snorted but left to go check on Glenn. Beth walked over to where Merle was putting everything he had mentioned into a cardboard box he had found on the shelf.

"This should come in handy." He said.

"What happens now?" Beth demanded. If he wasn't going to bring it up then she was.

He turned to study her. "What ya want ta happen?"

"I...You can't just do that and then pretend nothing happened!"

"What you suggestin' we do 'bout that then?" He smirked at her.

Beth thought about that. She wasn't sure _what_ she wanted at this point. She knew that she wanted to experience _that_ again but how far did she want to go? Her face grew red and she wished she had more experience in this area.

"Teach me." She said bravely.


	5. Chapter 5

' _Teach me.'_

Merle was tossing in his cell still hearing the echo of blondie's words over and over in his mind. He had awoken hard as a brick and he couldn't get his mind off of her body and the expression that had been on her face as she had come, clenching against his fingers. He groaned and figured the only way he was going to get any sleep at all was to take care of the situation at hand. Listening for sounds from the others, he pulled his cock out of his pants and began to stroke away the images.

…

Beth awoke the next morning feeling a little tender from her experience with Merle in that hardware store. She blushed every time she thought about how he had taken charge and swiped the counter clean, placing her upon it, and doing all those things to her. Beth had never had an orgasm like that. Sure she had experimented alone in her room when she was younger, but she had never felt anything like _that._ She was also positively sure she wanted to feel it again and this time she wanted him inside of her. She shivered at the images that provoked.

Merle had never replied to her bold statement that he teach her. They had been interrupted by Glenn and Maggie yelling that it was time to go. He hadn't said much to her since that statement and she wasn't sure how he felt about it.

Sighing, she finished off the breakfast dishes and wondered what to do next. Carl had taken Judith for the day so she wasn't obligated to babysit and she was secretly glad. It was a nice day out and she really didn't want to be cooped up inside.

She wandered out into the yard to try and find something to do. She wasn't used to having idle time. Most of her time was usually spent listening out for Judith's cries and involuntarily she felt herself straining to see if she could hear her now. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

A few members of the group were gathered at a picnic table and they appeared to be in a heavy discussion about something. Straining to hear what was going on, she could only catch the word ' _tattoos'_. Curiosity piqued, she felt herself being drawn closer and then realized Merle and Daryl were among the group that had gathered there. She also saw some people she vaguely recognized from the Woodbury group. She walked up and stood to the side closer to Daryl and Merle. She was still a little hesitant around the new people. They seemed okay, but you couldn't ever be too sure.

"I got my first tattoo in jail. Sum' bitch hurt like fuck. Lucky I didn't get blood poisonin'. Don't even know if it was a clean needle." Merle said.

Beth raised her eyebrows in surprise at that statement. She didn't know Merle had a tattoo. She looked him over again now but didn't see any evidence of a tattoo. She looked back up and Merle's eyes caught hers. His gaze traveled down to her tank and shorts and she felt her body respond slightly. Just as quickly, he focused his attention back on the group.

"Got a woman's name tattooed on me once. Never do _that_ again. Caught her in the bed with my brother. I guess that's why I got my next one in jail." A Woodbury resident said. The men all laughed.

"Merle gave me my first tattoo." Daryl spoke up. "Pair o' angel wings on my back."

Now Beth was really into the conversation. _Merle did tattoos?_ She was acutely aware of how little she and everyone else really knew about Merle. They knew the Merle that he wanted them to see, the man he was now, but not the Merle he was before. She wondered about that. Daryl had opened up to some of the group more and more lately so she had some insight into Merle's life growing up, but only through Daryl's point of view.

"I want a tattoo." Beth felt herself speak out. As they all grew quiet and stared at her, she immediately regretted the decision to voice that fact and instead wanted to sink into the concrete.

"What of?" Merle asked suddenly. He crossed his arms and studied her as all eyes turned to her.

"Uh… I've always wanted an angel." She said softly.

Merle smirked and some of the others grinned. "Angel, huh? How's about a lil' teddy bear to go 'long with it?" He snickered.

Beth felt her face grow hot and she was embarrassed at how Merle seemed to be poking fun of her choice. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and walked away quickly. She could hear the men laughing behind her and she felt the tears sting her cheeks. She began to jog and was grateful that no one was around to see her distress. She jogged out behind the prison until her lungs felt like they were on fire. She stopped suddenly and put her head down, gasping for breath.

A strong hand grabbed her arm and yanked her back upright.

"What tha hell-" Merle began to yell and then paused when he saw her face.

She snatched her arm out of his grip and tried to walk away. He placed his blade in front of her, blocking her path.

She turned to him. "Haven't you had enough laughs at my expense?" She snapped.

Merle's eyes narrowed. "Jus' havin' some fun darlin'. Wanna tell me what's on yer mind?"

"Nothing." She muttered.

"Ah, now why don't I believe that? Spill it girl."

"Fine! You haven't talked to me about yesterday and you poked fun at me because I want an angel tattoo. I wanted it in honor of my _mother._ " She said.

Merle's expression changed slightly and he looked around to see if anyone had followed them. There wasn't anyone.

"I can respect that." He muttered.

She looked at him in surprise. "Really?"

"Shit girl, ya tryin' ta make me apologize? I ain't come to ya cause in case you ain't noticed, they bout' twenty people in this here prison and 'bout half of em' would be glad to see me hang for it!" He cursed under his breath and kicked at a stump in the ground.

She watched him with an amused expression now. "Feel better?" She asked.

He looked at her and then he chuckled. "I _look_ better?"

She walked over to him and put her hands on his chest. She wasn't tall enough to reach his lips so she gave a gentle tug on his neck and he willingly let her pull him down to her. His lips met hers with an intensity that took her breath away. Pushing her backwards, he backed her up against the brick wall with his body. He stroked the inside of her mouth with his tongue and she moaned.

"Please." She begged.

He pulled back to look at her. "Ah, so ya want a taste of ole' Merle huh?" He teased.

"Yes." She whispered.

He raised an eyebrow at her answer. "I-"

He was interrupted by a voice calling Beth's name.

"Damn people got the worst timin'." He muttered. "Ya better go blondie, give me a minute to adjust."

She glanced down between them and saw the bulge in his pants. Her face grew red.

"Can I uh... see you again?" She asked quickly.

Merle paused and then he nodded shortly. "I got watch." He rasped.

She smiled then and turned to run back around to the front, grinning all the way.

...

Beth spent the rest of the day helping Carol change the beds in their cell block. She had helped Carol wash the sheets and they had hung them out in the sunshine to dry. It wasn't her favorite thing to do but she needed something to pass the time until later tonight. She was impatient to spend more time with Merle. She did enjoy spending time with Carol though. In a lot of ways, Carol had become like a mother figure to her.

"How have you been doing since the run? Feel any better?" Carol asked her as they started making up the first cell.

"It was good to get out." Beth said and grinned to herself as she remembered what she and Merle had done. She was glad Carol couldn't read her thoughts.

"I'm glad." Carol smiled back at her. "We all need fresh air every now and again. We were wrong to shelter you so much."

They worked along in silence as Beth thought about what she might have been like if they hadn't. She would probably be as hard as Maggie. Her sister had changed so much since she began killing walkers. She was still carefree but she thought that was owed to the fact that she had Glenn around to care for her.

She was distracted momentarily as they exited that cell and entered another. Startled, she looked at the sparse furnishings and realized they were in Merle's cell. There was nothing in the cell to indicate it was his except for a pile of his clothes on the floor. She was startled to see that the clothes were all folded neatly and not just tossed onto the floor. _So Merle was neat, huh? Interesting._ She never would have pegged him for much of a housekeeper but then again, she seemed to learn something new about him everyday.

...

Merle was sitting outside trying to do anything but think about Beth when Daryl walked up. He pulled out a cigarette and handed Merle one before lighting one himself. They sat in silence for a few moments and enjoyed the smoke.

"Saw you go after Beth earlier." Daryl commented.

"Mmm." Merle grunted.

"What was that all 'bout? You ain't messin' with her are ya?" Daryl demanded.

Merle smirked. "What business is it of yours lil' brotha?"

Daryl cursed. "Damn it Merle! You got to keep yer dick in yer pants! Do you know what they would do to ya?" He hissed.

"For fuck's sake, I ain't stupid!"

"Well ya sure are actin' like it!"

"Maybe you need ta back off lil' brotha." Merle threatened.

Daryl looked at him as he took the last draw off his cigarette. "You just watch yerself Merle. Jus' got you back and ya gonna have to leave! Well _I_ ain't leavin' with ya! These people like family ta me now. You remember that." With that being said, he walked off.

Merle sat there a few more moments and tried to figure out what the hell he really _was_ doing. He didn't have an answer just yet. All he knew was that tonight, blondie was going to come to him and he was going to teach her a lesson she would never forget.


	6. Chapter 6

Merle paced back and forth in the guard shack. He had just taken over for the Chinaman and his girlfriend. He knew they fucked like rabbits every time they had watch and tonight had been no different. Chinaman had walked out grinning like a schoolboy. The sun had set and he knew that any time now Beth would be coming up those stairs to him. He was harder than concrete just thinking about it.

"What tha hell are you thinkin'?" He asked himself for the thousandth time.

He sighed and rubbed his arm where the prosthesis rested on his stump. Hard to believe anyone could be attracted to him with this bloody contraption strapped to his arm. Frowning in anger, he suddenly yanked the prosthesis off and tossed it onto a table. He looked at the blanket he had laid on the floor. It was used by the group for those nights when it was cool out and a jacket wasn't enough.

He wiped his forehead that was damp with sweat. He went outside to the rail and scanned an eye over the terrain. There didn't appear to be any immediate threats from walkers and it was getting harder to see out. He knew the governor would be a fool to strike at night. Even with the cover the dark would provide, it would be hard to accomplish anything with walkers milling about unless you had a flashlight. And if you had a light, you probably weren't very smart.

_No, if the Gov'nor struck it would be at sunrise or at dusk. Sneaky bastard._

...

Beth waited under her covers in her cell until she was sure everyone was asleep. She heard the usual snores and squeaks and figured it was probably safe to sneak out. Like she had the last time, she carried her shoes in her hands and tip-toed barefoot across the concrete floor. No one stirred. When she made it outside and shut the door behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief. She walked up to the guard shack door and smoothed her clothes and hair one last time before proceeding up the small staircase.

As she reached the top, he turned and gave her a look that started at her feet and came to rest on her face. She felt the heat of that gaze all over her body. Flushing slightly, she came to stand next to him at the rail. She noticed he didn't have his blade on and she wondered about that. She had never had an opportunity to study his stump openly before.

"Disgustin' ain't it?" Merle asked suddenly.

Startled she looked into his face. "No. I'm sorry you had to cut off your hand. That must have been painful." She grabbed his stump and stroked it lightly in her hands. She heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Ya sure ya don't wanna turn back now girlie? Once we get started, ain't no stoppin'." Merle said.

Beth thought about it for a minute. She knew he was giving her an easy out but she didn't want it. She had dreamed about this ever since he first touched her at the hardware store. It had been the most erotic experience of her life. Granted, she didn't have anything to compare it to, but she knew it still would have been number one.

"No." She whispered. "Touch me Merle. Make me feel alive again."

His eyes darkened as he looked at this beautiful woman standing in front of him. He grabbed the back of her neck roughly and pulled her to him for a kiss.

She clung to his arms as he deepened the kiss and caressed her with his tongue. He half lifted her with his arm and took her over to lay her on the blanket. He took off his boots and placed them to the side to undo his pants next. He pulled them off and she couldn't take her eyes off of his briefs and the bulge underneath. She grew a little nervous at the thought of him being inside of her and she almost fled the room in a panic.

He must have sensed her hesitancy and he leaned down to tilt her face up to his. "Ain't gonna do nothin' you don't beg me to sweetheart. And trust me, you'll beg." He grinned a devlish grin at that and she couldn't help but to smile at him in return.

She slid her shorts off and removed her tank until she was wearing only her bra and underwear. Merle reached over and cut the lamp off so they were enveloped in darkness. She heard him removing the rest of his clothing and wished she could see him.

She felt his mouth at her hip and she gasped as the sensations flooded her body. He lightly trailed his finger over her panties and she bucked her hips into his hand in response.

He chuckled lightly. "Easy tiger. We got all night." He drawled.

He gripped her panties with his teeth and eased them down her legs slowly. She shivered as the air washed over her. He came up and over her and she could feel his warm breath on her face.

"Take that bra off darlin'." He said softly.

She reached behind her and fumbled with the clasp before finally freeing it and she tossed it to the side. His mouth immediately descended onto her nipple and she moaned. He lay next to her and she felt his fingers trail down her belly until they dipped inside of her.

"Mmm...Already wet for me?" He whispered.

She nodded and realized he couldn't see her but she didn't trust herself to speak. His fingers continued their assault and she was lost in the sensations. She began thrusting her hips up to meet his fingers but he continued on at the same slow pace and it was driving her mad.

"Merle." She pleaded.

"Shh..."

She groaned as he continued his pace and she felt the pleasure building like last time. Then he took his fingers away and she tried to pull him back. She heard a crinkling sound.

"Ya gonna have to ride top." He rasped.

Beth wasn't sure how to do that. _Did that mean she was in charge?_ She climbed on top of him and he helped guide her hips down slowly onto the tip of him.

"Easy." He coaxed.

Beth panicked as she felt the tip of him touch her. "It's not going to fit." She said suddenly.

Merle didn't respond and instead flipped her back onto her back. He ran his tongue between the valley of her breasts and down to her belly. She shivered. He suckled the sensitive skin next to her thigh and she moaned. She began to relax a little now and she placed her hands on his chest as he came back to kiss her lips.

She felt him twitch slightly as she ran her hands over his chest. She felt the ragged skin from his scars and her heart ached for him. No wonder Merle Dixon lashed out at the world. She couldn't imagine what it had felt like to receive each of those scars. She leaned her face forward and pressed a kiss to each one. Merle growled low in his throat and gently pushed her back down to kiss her neck. His fingers found her center again and he stroked her until she was on edge then pulled back at the last minute. He balanced himself on his arm and hand and slowly entered her.

She sucked in a breath as he slid inside of her and began moving. She briefly felt discomfort but then it faded away and pleasure took over once again. He kept up a steady rhythm that made her want to cry out. She bit her lip.

"Wrap yer legs 'round me." Merle demanded.

Beth complied and lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist and gasped as he drove deeper inside of her.

"Merle!" She pleaded.

She could feel him grin. "What's tha' matter darlin'?" He teased. He slowed his pace and Beth could feel the sweat on her forehead as she fought to obtain the pleasure she had felt once before.

"Please…I need."

"It's all 'bout the journey. Jus' enjoy the ride." Merle said.

His lips found her neck and he suckled as she tilted her head back to allow him further access. He picked up the pace and she felt that rise again. She involuntarily lifted her hips to meet his and her world slowly came crashing down as wave upon wave of pleasure washed over her.

Merle waited until he was sure she had finished and then he took his own release. Growling into her neck, she felt him thrust once more and then he rolled off of her, breathing hard.

"Damn. I ain't cut out for this shit like I use to be." He muttered.

Beth lay in a daze and struggled to calm her beating heart. She really wanted to snuggle into him but he was already getting up and she watched him in the moonlight wrap the condom up and stick it in his pocket as he pulled on his pants. She didn't exactly know how this worked afterward. She felt awkward just laying there so she began to get dressed as well. She watched him walk barefoot and shirtless out to the rail to smoke.

She walked out to join him. "You good?" He asked as he continued to look out into the darkness.

 _Am I good?_ She wasn't sure how to respond. "I'm fine. Thanks." She mumbled. She could feel the tears building up in her eyes and she turned the other way. "I better go." She whispered.

"Hey." Merle called.

She turned to him then. "Yeah?"

"Let me know if ya want some more _trainin_ '. " He winked at her and turned back to his smoke.

She didn't respond. She picked up her shoes and half ran down the stairs in her effort to get away. He had managed to turn something so wonderful into something so cheap. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and gulped in the night air as the tears streamed down. _Damn him_ , she thought.

She wiped her tears away and tried to compose herself so that she could sneak back in to her cell. As she went to open the door to the prison, a hand shot out of the darkness and gripped her wrist. She turned, startled.

"Shh. It's jus' me." Daryl whispered.

She was momentarily disappointed to hear Daryl's voice instead of the one she really wanted to hear.

_What did she expect? A moonlight serenade?_

Daryl pulled her off to the side roughly. "Have a good time?" He asked sarcastically.

"What do you mean?" Beth asked.

"I saw you go up there wit' my brother. He's no good for ya! He's never had a _real_ relationship in his life!" Daryl said.

She couldn't believe she was being scolded by Daryl. _How had he known she was out here? Oh my God, did he hear us?_ She was glad for the dark now as it concealed the embarrassment on her face.

"I'm an adult. I make my own decisions. What we have-" Beth began.

"Whatcha' have is a hell of a lotta trouble if anyone finds out!" Daryl interrupted.

"Are you going to tell them?" She asked worriedly.

Daryl sighed. "No. Dammit! I'm tired o' coverin' for Merle's fuck-ups. End it now." Daryl ordered and walked off leaving her standing alone in the darkness.

She sat down with a sigh and covered her face in her hands.

_What now?_

****


	7. Chapter 7

Merle was walking inside the courtyard watching some of the group have a conversation at one of the picnic tables. They never included him in anything but he didn't care. He was used to being an outsider. The only person he cared about was his brother. His little brother had always been there for him no matter how many times in his life he screwed up. He had always looked up to Merle as a father figure, except for now. Now Daryl was striding towards him with a look of barely contained anger on his face.

Merle took a draw off his cigarette and watched Daryl approach. It was apparent that he was pissed off about something and a couple of members of the group glanced their way curiously.

Daryl paused in front of him. "We need ta talk. Follow me."

He didn't stop walking; he just expected Merle to follow. Merle gazed at him thoughtfully for a few seconds then curiosity got the better of him and he proceeded after Daryl down to the fences. Daryl picked off a few walkers and chewed on his thumb thoughtfully. Merle watched him with an amused expression and that must have set Daryl off.

"What tha hell Merle!" Daryl suddenly yelled.

They were far enough away that the others wouldn't be able to hear their voices but Merle still cast a glance in that direction anyhow.

"Mind explainin' yerself some lil' brotha?"

Daryl shot him a look. He snatched Merle's cigarette from him and took a draw. "I know about you an' Beth."

Merle smiled. "And?"

"Fuck Merle!" Daryl got in his face. "She's barely eighteen! What that hell?"

"Ya best be gettin' out my face lil' brotha. I think you forgot who you's talkin' to. She came ta me! Swishin' her lil' body 'round and beggin' me ta teach her!" Merle yelled.

"Yeah? Well your _lesson_ obviously didn't go well! I caught her comin' out o' the shack cryin' her lil' eyes out!"

Merle was temporarily taken aback. _Cryin'? She weren't cryin'. Hell she was pantin' right before she left._

"You just need ta stay outta my business bro. I'll handle blondie. Ain't none yer concern." Merle drawled.

"It is when you gon' get yerself killed!" Daryl retorted.

Merle bristled. "Oh yeah? Well who's gon' do that I reckon'? Officer fuckin' friendly and his band o' misfits? Or you? Ain't you his bitch now brotha?"

Daryl growled and ran at Merle. Merle braced himself but they still fell backwards and rolled to the ground. Daryl threw a punch to Merle's gut and Merle cursed. Merle locked his leg around Daryl's and flipped him over, pinning him.

"What's the matter lil' brotha? Forgot everythin' Merle don' taught ya?" Merle taunted.

Daryl grunted and reared his head back to smack Merle in the face. Groaning, they both fell to the side, holding their heads. Merle's nose was bleeding.

"Sonofabitch!" Daryl cursed.

Merle was feeling a bit dizzy but he stumbled to his feet and prepared to run at Daryl again.

"That's enough!" Rick shouted from the side.

Merle cocked an eye at him. They had drawn quite the crowd. He noticed a few of the group had gathered to watch the two Dixon's fight it out, Beth included. She was standing off to the side looking every bit horrified. Merle knew it looked worse than it was. Hell, they had just got started good. They had had worse fights as kids. It was how they argued.

Merle saw the little woman with the lesbian haircut walk over to his brother and help him to stand. His brother grumbled and brushed her off. She wasn't easily swayed and stayed near his side.

"We ain't finished Officer." Merle drawled. "Maybe ya should stay an' watch. Might get some pointers."

"Shut up Merle!" Daryl yelled.

"Make me brotha!" Merle yelled back.

Daryl ran at him and Merle threw a punch to his gut. Daryl hunched over, clutching himself. Merle paced back and forth in front of Daryl. He saw that no one made a move to stop him. He knew they were too afraid to touch him. He smiled and wiped at some of the blood on his face.

He grabbed Daryl by the shirt.

"Stop it!" A voice cried out.

Merle let go and looked around to see Beth step out from the crowd. Maggie tried to make a grab for her but she effectively dodged her hand and continued down until she was between Merle and Daryl.

"Stop this." She repeated.

Merle looked at her questioningly. _She dared to step in the middle of his fight? He couldn't very well hit her. He didn't pound on innocent women. Wasn't his cup o' tea._

He stepped back a step and Glenn and Rick went to Daryl to help him stand.

"What you think ya doin' lil' lady?" Merle asked.

"Stopping you from doing something stupid apparently. Although I'm not really sure why at this point." She said.

Merle could tell she was pissed off. He was also aware they had an audience. He huffed and walked away from her to swipe at his nose some more.

"If you come up to the prison, I'll have a look at that. It's bleeding pretty steady." Hershel said to him.

Merle nodded. "Alright."

...

Beth stood outside her father's cell and watched as he worked on Merle's nose. Carol had Daryl in the kitchen tending to his wounds. Apparently, the only thing they had really hurt on each other was their pride. Beth had to admit she was getting pleasure out of watching Merle suffer momentarily.

She had had lots of time to think last night after leaving him and running into Daryl. She assumed that was what started this whole fight. She had gotten over her intial hurt and now she was mad at him. He was acting like a jerk and she wasn't going to stand for it. She wasn't the kind of woman he was used to. She was trying to give him a break for that but it was hard. She needed to find a time to approach him about it. She wasn't going to keep this up when he was acting like that.

Her daddy finished cleaning up Merle's bloody nose and was feeling the bridge of it. Merle hissed in a breath as he must have touched a tender spot.

"It's not broken. You were quite lucky. The nose is a very fragile body part with lots of blood vessels. One hit and it can look much worse than it is. I think you're just going to get a very bad bruise for a while." Hershel concluded. "Try not to put too much pressure on it."

Merle nodded at him and glanced over at her. They stared at each other intently for a few moments and then Beth looked away. Hershel glanced over his shoulder to see what Merle was looking at. Merle began to stand but Hershel put out a hand to stop him.

"I would like to talk to you a minute if you don't mind Merle." Hershel said.

"Alright, Doc. Shoot."

"It didn't escape my attention that my little Beth was the one to stand up to you to stop the fighting earlier." Hershel commented.

Merle knew he was in dangerous territory. Normally, he would tell whoever it was to 'fuck off' and be done with it. He couldn't quite make himself do it to the farmer though, he had been one of the few to be kind to him. Those things didn't escape Merle's attention.

"She got balls that kid. That's for sure."

Hershel chuckled a little. "Yes I suppose she does. I've always wondered when that fire would appear. Maggie caught it early but Beth has always been the sweet one. You seem to bring that fire out in her."

Merle wasn't sure what he was getting at so he kept quiet.

"I have also seen some of the looks she gives you and I'm worried that her thoughts might not be appropriate. Do you get my meaning?" Hershel asked.

"Yep." Merle replied.

"Good. As long as we are on the same page. I wouldn't want her to develop a crush on you. It wouldn't be appropriate. The age difference is too great." Hershel added.

"Understood." Merle replied. "We done here?"

Hershel nodded once. "Thank you Merle. I appreciate your cooperation in this matter."

Beth silently moved away from the door of the cell before she was noticed eavesdropping. Her mind was working double, trying to figure a way out of this situation.

...

Her chance came later in the evening when some of the men went to shower. Mostly everyone else was outside around a fire pit that some of the others had built. Beth was keeping tabs on who came and went from the shower. She knew Merle was in there with the others. As luck would have it, the others all finished before him. She heard some of the men from Woodbury talking as she pretended interest in a deck of cards in her hand.

"Dixon sure got one hell of a shiner." One man commented.

The other laughed. "Yeah, he's tough though. Heard Daryl got quite the sucker punch himself. Must be what's taking Merle so long in the shower. Trying to numb it with the cold water."

"Might work. Damn water is ice cold. Thought I was going to freeze my balls off in there." The first man said.

She watched them go and join the others around the fire and she looked for Daryl. He was preoccupied in a conversation with Glenn and Tyreese. No one was paying her any attention so she slipped out from the crowd. On her way in, she bumped straight into Maggie.

"Hey. Where you going? I just grabbed the marshmallows. It's a real treat." Maggie smiled.

"I'm not feeling too good. I've got a headache so I think I'm going to lie down for a while." Beth lied.

Maggie looked at her curiously. She pressed her hand to Beth's forehead, checking for a fever. Seemingly satisfied she smiled. "Alright. Want me to come check on you later?"

Beth shook her head. "No, I'll be okay. I can probably just sleep it off. All the stress of the Governor is getting to me I think."

Maggie nodded in agreement. "I understand. I think it's getting to us all. I wish we knew what he was up to." She sighed. "Oh well, get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

She watched Maggie walk back to the group and slipped inside. She went directly to her cell and fluffed the blankets to make it look as if she might be huddled underneath. She surveyed it from the outside. If no one looked at it too closely, it might work. She grabbed her knife and walked quietly to the showers, rehearsing what she would say to him along the way.

...

Merle groaned as he stood under the cold spray of the showers. He had purposely waited the others out so that he could take care of a pressing matter that a cold shower wasn't fixing. He had just started the first stroke when he heard the barely audible crack of the shower door. Ducking down low, he attached his blade back onto his arm and crouched naked to wait.

He heard the patter of soft footsteps and knew it wasn't a walker. They shuffled, they didn't walk. Angry that someone was interrupting him, he stood up abruptly and Beth slammed into his chest.

"Oh!" She cried.

"What tha hell?"

She recovered quickly and frowned at him. "I just came to tell you that it's over." She blurted.

"What's over?" Merle asked.

"Us. The training. I can't do it." Beth said. She was trying to avoid looking at his naked body that he was blatantly flaunting.

She couldn't help it and let her gaze travel over his broad shoulders and muscled thighs. When she zeroed in on his package and found that he was aroused, her face flamed bright red. She hadn't gotten a good look at it last night in the dark and now she was entranced by it.

Merle watched her study him. He saw her face get red and he grinned. _Little liar. She wasn't ready to end it._ He couldn't figure out why she was pissed though.

"I don't think you're done at all darlin'. I think you're jus' gettin' started." He whispered.

Beth was frozen to the floor. She wanted to yell at him and leave him standing there but her legs would not cooperate. He closed the distance between them and she absentmindedly watched a water droplet slide down his chest through his hair and to his belly.

Merle was getting harder just watching her watch him like that. He stroked her hair out of her face and lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

"You sure 'bout that? Or you jus' scared o' my lil' brotha?" He asked.

She swallowed as she looked into his fierce blue eyes. She nodded meekly but she could feel her resolve melting away. _Why had she decided this was a good idea?_ She had thought to catch him off guard and figured she wouldn't have to worry about him touching her in here but she had forgotten this was Merle, and Merle didn't care.

"You want me ta kiss you, jus' say it." He teased.

He trailed his finger down her cheek and down the side of her breast. He watched her nipples pucker through the fabric and her eyes darkened.

"I think _they_ want me ta kiss you." He gestured to her breasts with a tilt of his head.

Beth gasped and crossed her arms. "I didn't come here for this." She whispered.

"No? I think ya did." He said.

He dipped his head nice and slow and pressed his lips to her neck. He nipped gently and she had to grab onto the wall for support.

"Ask me." Merle said.

"No." She whispered.

He smiled and pulled her to him roughly. Startled, she hit at his arms as the icy cold spray washed over them both. He had her in his iron grip and she couldn't break free. He pushed her backwards until she hit the wall and he pressed his body against hers. He stopped inches from her lips.

"Say it." He demanded.

Beth sighed in frustration but finally relented. "Kiss me." She said.

"My pleasure sweetheart." Merle said as his lips descended upon hers.

She groaned at the sensation of the cold and the heat from his kiss. He took off his blade and set it aside and she pulled her shirt over her head. He yanked her shorts and panties down while she undid her bra. When she was naked, he stepped back to stare at her in the light.

She also took the time to stare at the scars on his chest. Some were light while others were angry and red. She shivered at the pain he must have felt. She wanted to reach for them and hold him but he must have read her thoughts.

"Don' pity me." He growled.

He stepped back close to her and took her breast into his mouth. She arched her head back to allow him access and he licked and sucked hungrily. His fingers traveled down her belly until she felt him dip one inside of her. She moaned. She was a little tender but it slowly began to fade as he continued to carress her. Like last time, he let her get so close, then he pulled away.

"Merle!" She groaned.

He chuckled low in his throat but didn't say anything. An idea came to her and she reached out bravely to grab him in her hand. It caught him off guard and his eyes grew dark as he looked at her and sucked in a breath. Motivated by his response, she got down on her knees in front of him. She had no idea what she was doing but she had read about it before and had discussed it with her friends at school. She knew what she was supposed to do, but not exactly _how_ to do it.

Slowly, she darted her tongue out to touch him. He stiffened. She glanced up, thinking she had done something wrong but his eyes were closed and he was leaning his forehead on the wall.

Feeling braver, she opened her mouth a little and sucked. He tasted salty but his skin was velvety smooth. She continued to alternate between licking him and sucking and he groaned aloud as his hand gripped her hair. He slowly guided her head and she relaxed a little and let him guide her. He began to get faster then he suddenly pulled away.

"Damn lil' woman. Gonna make me cum like a schoolboy." He gasped.

He turned from her and went to dig through his pockets. He produced a condom and unwrapped it to put it on. She wondered when he had started carrying them or if he had always had them. He slipped it on and helped her to her feet.

"Wrap yer arms 'round my neck and yer legs 'round my waist darlin'." He ordered.

She complied and he gripped her backside as he pushed into her slowly. She rocked on him a little and threw her head back. He withdrew and thrust into her harder and she clung to him, overcome with sensation. The build up was back but it only took a minute before it exploded inside of her and she arched into him, crying out his name. He pumped a couple of times and groaned his own release. She buried her face in his neck and he almost dropped her as they heard the door open.

"Who's there?" Merle called.

"A few of the girl's want to shower. I was just seeing if it was empty." Carol's voice called back.

The way the showers were situated, you couldn't see who was using them just by opening the door. Beth held her breath, trying to figure out if she suspected anything. Merle was still inside of her and she was still hanging on.

"Can't a man get a lil' peace an' quiet? I'll be out soon!" Merle yelled.

"Alright. We'll be outside by the fire waiting. If you could hurry that would be great. We're all a little tired." Carol responded and closed the door.

Merle pulled out of Beth and she slid to the floor. She watched him as he rinsed off and disposed of the condom. He turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry himself. Beth found herself in the same predicament as last time when he brushed her off the same way. Her anger returned.

"You used me!" She hissed.

Merle paused and threw her a look. "What?"

She stood and crossed over to him. "You seduced me into having sex with you again and here you are brushing me off. Just like last time!"

Merle chuckled. "If I recall correctly darlin', didn't take much seducin' on my part. You were willin' an' able."

Beth's chest was heaving as she fought off the tears that threatened to consume her again. "You make me feel like a whore! You're so cold afterwards!"

Merle began to dress himself. "Jus' what did you expect from me? Hearts an' flowers? A nice stroll 'round the prison walls? How you supposin' we work that anyway with yer daddy an' sister roamin' the grounds?"

Beth's breath hitched. "I thought we were connecting. I... I really like you. I thought it was more than sex."

Merle bristled. He didn't know what the hell she expected from him. _He sure as hell wasn't gonna cuddle like no pussy._

"You wanted trainin', that's what ya got. Lesson two, shower sex. Seems ta me ya liked it well enough."

"You don't get it, do you? Everyone else thinks you're a prick but I can see something different. You keep pushing me away but I'm not doing it anymore! Don't ever touch me again!" She yelled as she pulled on the last of her clothing.

He was attaching his blade. It was pissing him off that her words stung him deep down. He never let a woman affect him. _Here she thought she could come to him and stroke his bum arm and melt into his arms like butter and he would do anything she wanted?_

Merle snorted and ignored the pain that her words had inflicted. He lashed out. "Have it yer way lil' girl. Consider it done." He growled.

She spun on her heel as the tears slid down her body hot and wet. Her clothes stuck to her skin where they had gotten wet and hadn't had time to dry. She knew that if anyone saw her like this it would definitely raise questions but at the moment she didn't care. She left and ran down the hall blindly.

She didn't know that the man she left behind was hurting as well. Only he would never show it.

"Fuck!" Merle shouted and punched the wall.

A piece of tile fell loose and clattered to the floor. A piece of Merle's heart fell with it.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Merle was on a rampage.

The whole group had been steering clear of him since he had last been with Beth in the showers. She hadn't said a word to him since. It had been a week and she hadn't said so much as an "excuse me" or "pass the salt". Merle was pissed. He was back to jacking off in his room at night or in the guard shack when he had duty. He tried not to think about her but the more he tried to stop it, the more she invaded his thoughts. He had had enough.

Today Merle was taking it upon himself to tear down some wooden pallets behind the prison. He was bored and he wanted nothing more than to stumble upon some Meth or Heroin. Hell he would even take weed at this point. He just wanted something to numb the pain. _Just one high for ole' times sake._ He had a fine sheen of sweat on his arms from the hot Georgia sun beating down on him.

"Fuck!" He yelled as he threw the pallets around and watched the wood splinter as some of them hit the wall or each other.

This wasn't improving his mood. He left the mess and walked back to cell block C. He stood around for a moment, not really paying anyone any attention and then an idea struck him. He marched inside and went into the office that was off of the kitchen. He remembered seeing a desk and he rummaged through it with a frustrated frown. Slamming his hand down on top of the desk, he drew a few curious stares from people down below but he paid them no attention. He proceeded to leave the room and then he stopped. Pausing, he remembered that sometimes people taped things to the underside of their desk or drawers. Usually no one thought to look in those places. With a renewed energy, he returned to the desk and yanked the drawers out one by one.

_Bingo._

Taped underneath the second drawer he found a bag of weed. Grinning madly, he stuck it in his pocket and returned to the outside.

…

Beth listened from the kitchen as Merle rummaged through the office. She knew he was pissed at her; he hadn't spoken to her at all. She hadn't said anything to him either but she missed him despite being mad at him. He was clearly preoccupied though because he didn't even seem to see her as he exited the office and walked straight past her, grinning like a fool.

Rick, Glenn, Tyreese, Maggie, and Daryl had gone on a run that morning. They were trying to see if they could pick up the Governor's trail anywhere. Rick was tired of waiting on pins and needles and everyone else was also restless. Michonne had stayed behind as no one wanted her nearby if the Governor was spotted. The Governor wanted Michonne badly. Beth was glad Rick had changed his mind about taking her to him. At least they had managed to set up that ambush that had killed a lot of the Governor's men.

That had been all Merle's idea. He was determined to kill the Governor. She wondered what kind of horrible things the Governor had made Merle do. She shivered and was at least thankful that everyone had made it back from that essentially unharmed. There had been bruises but nothing too serious. Then the Governor had fled Woodbury and Rick had bussed the remaining residents over to the prison. His thoughts were that they could use the extra manpower since the Governor was still out there somewhere. Beth knew that the Governor wouldn't give up. She had a feeling and she had learned to trust those feelings a long time ago.

She sighed and Carol looked over at her. "What's the matter sweetie?" She was currently looking over their food supply, probably trying to decide what to make for dinner.

"Just thinking about things. Worrying." Beth stated.

"Don't. Worrying changes nothing. We'll be fine. You'll see." Carol smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Need any help?"

"I've got this covered. Why don't you go relax or read a book? Might take your mind off things." Carol suggested.

Beth nodded. "Maybe I will. They cleaned the library out. I think I'll go there and browse."

"Want me to get someone to go with you?" Carol offered.

"No. I would prefer to be alone. I might be a while."

"Okay. But take your weapon and don't wander into other areas. Stay alert and yell if you have trouble. Those halls echo so I should hear it." Carol said.

"Alright." Beth stood and made sure her knife was attached to her hip.

She gave Carol a wave and grabbed a flashlight from the wall before entering the halls. It was still rather dark in the direction of the library and she didn't relish walking in the dark alone. Pausing to sweep her flashlight over the hallway and doorways, she headed quickly to the library. Once there, she could do another sweep and shut the door to close herself off from everyone and any potential walkers. She rounded the corner and darted quickly into the library. Turning off her flashlight, she looked around. The windows, although barred, provided adequate light for her to see. She scanned the aisles and was relieved not to find anything waiting for her. Getting excited, she scanned the titles and quickly selected a couple to read. She put them on the table and went to the next row.

She was debating between two different books when she heard the distinct click of the door opening. Freezing momentarily, she peered cautiously around the shelf. She frowned when she didn't see anyone. She shrugged and went back to browsing.

…

Merle sighed in pleasure as he smoked the joint he had rolled. He inhaled the scent of the weed and he felt himself getting calmer. _At least I ain't gotta worry 'bout sharin' with lil' brotha._ _Although I bet he wouldn't even know what ta do with it anymore._ Merle chuckled. Daryl had taken off with Officer Friendly and his troops that morning to try and pick up a trail on the Governor. He doubted they would find one. Although if anyone could, his brother would be the one. Merle was a good tracker, but his area of expertise was fighting. Daryl sometimes let his emotions get in the way and it hurt him in a fight.

Merle watched as his brother's girlfriend walked outside. They hadn't declared a relationship but Merle had seen her making moon-eyes at his brother on quite a few occasions. He also knew that Rick had left her as one of the one's in charge. He hid the joint behind his back in case she got an inkling to go running back to his brother about it. He hated people trying to mind his business.

She scanned the yard, shielding her eyes with her hand. Merle wondered who she was looking for. He hoped it wasn't him because he wasn't in the mood for one of her little "chores". He slipped inside when her back was turned and took off down the hallway, inhaling deeply along the way. He whistled as he walked. The weed was doing its job.

…..

Beth had selected five books total and she figured that was enough for the day considering she had to carry them all back and keep an eye on her surroundings. She looked for a bag or something to stack them in and when she turned the corner she ran right into someone's chest.

Startled, she back up and looked to see who had entered the room. She didn't remember the man's name; she only knew he was with the Woodbury group. He had a dirty mouth too and she had heard him making remarks about some of the women from time to time. She didn't peg him for a reader and she backed up a few steps before speaking.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked carefully.

He leaned against the shelf and smirked. "I sure hope so honey." He said.

Beth swallowed and tried to fight her rising panic. "Are you looking for a book?"

The man laughed. "You don't have the kind of books I read sweetheart."

His eyes traveled up and down her body and she reached around her back nonchalantly to finger her knife.

"Now, now. No need to be getting nervous. I'm not going to hurt you. I just saw you come in here and thought that you might like some company. It gets awfully lonely on our side." He stepped forward a couple of steps and Beth instinctively stepped backwards. Her gaze flicked to the door and he followed it before frowning.

"You're not thinking about running out on me now are you?" He asked.

His face had lost all of its charm and it was replaced with a cold mask. Beth's pulse kicked into high gear and she tried to mentally calculate a way out. She didn't think she could take a grown man on her own. She was pretty confident with walkers, but she had no experience with the _living_.

"Maybe I can go find someone to help keep you company." She said.

"Oh, I think you'll do just fine. I see those tight shorts you traipse around here in. Begging for attention."

She gulped and decided to try a different tact. "Merle won't be happy about you bothering me. He's pretty territorial you know." She inched another step back and he took a step forward.

He chuckled. "I don't think so. I thought you two might have something going but it's been a week now and I haven't seen you together. Why, he told us just the other night that you were nothing but a child."

Beth's face fell. _Merle had said that?_ She was hurt that he would think that of her. She didn't know if she could believe this guy. She decided she just had to make a run for it. Licking her lips, she feinted left and took off at a run. She wasn't fast enough.

He was much taller and that put her at a disadvantage as his long legs closed the gap and his fingers clenched around her shirt. He threw her against the wall and she felt her head make a smacking sound as it hit the wall.

"Guess we going to have to do this the hard way," He panted. "That's okay honey, I like it rough."

Beth whimpered. She was pretty sure Carol would never hear her this far away from the kitchen. Assuming she was even still in the kitchen. The man's cold fingers slid up under her shirt and Beth rammed her knee up. He was so much taller that it grazed his kneecap and barely fazed him. It only served to make him angrier at her. He grabbed her hair and yanked on it, forcing her head back at an uncomfortable angle. His lips touched her neck and Beth gagged. This was nothing like her experiences with Merle. This made her skin crawl in the worst way. He pinned her to the wall with his body and grinded against her. When he stopped kissing her neck and bent to try to get under her shirt, she bit him on his ear as hard as she could.

He howled in pain. Rearing back, he slapped her hard across her face making her cheek sting in protest.

"Fucking bitch!" He yelled.

...

Merle continued to whistle long after he was done with his smoke. He was feeling pretty good right now. _And he wasn't thinkin' bout her._ He paused as he rounded the corner and heard shuffling noises. Crouching by the wall, he flicked his light out over the hall but didn't see any walkers. Frowning, he thought briefly that he might have imagined the noises but as he passed by a doorway and saw a door open that should have been closed, he began to get suspicious.

Pausing by the door he listened. Again he heard the noises and his first thought was that someone was getting lucky in there and he grinned.

Then he heard the shout, "Fucking bitch!" There was the unmistakable sound of a slap and a female groan. Merle cursed under his breath. He didn't approve of anybody being raped. He may have done lots of things he wasn't proud of but Merle Dixon wasn't a rapist. He peered around the doorway in time to see a man rip a young woman's shirt. He couldn't see the woman because she was much shorter than the man.

Merle recognized the man from Woodbury. His name was Samuel but he went by Sam. He had thought himself quite the ladies man at Woodbury and Merle had seen him with many different women on different occasions. Merle figured that he must have been missing on some action so he decided to surprise an unsuspecting woman. _And this woman clearly wasn't into it._ He wasn't really in the mood to fight right now and ruin the good vibe he had going.

He sighed. "Alright Sam. You know the rules. If they ain't willin' leave 'em be."

Startled Sam turned to face Merle and he caught a glimpse of the woman behind the man.

_Blondie._

...

Beth felt the tears spring to her eyes at the force of the man's slap. She felt herself going numb and she tried to shut her mind down and pray for it to be over soon. She felt him rip her shirt and she couldn't do a thing about it.

Then she heard Merle's voice loud and strong from the doorway. He sounded a little different from his earlier mood but Beth didn't have time to ponder it as the man he had addressed as Sam turned and Merle's eyes met hers. They swept her state of undress and up to her tear-stained face before hardening and passing back to Sam.

Beth saw his jaw twitch.

"We just having some fun Merle. No need to get bent out of shape. She likes it rough." Sam smirked.

"Does she?" Merle murmured and she saw him twitch again. "You been fuckin' with my woman Sam?" He asked coldly.

Beth saw the fury in Merle's eyes as he spoke. She also noticed that he referred to her as _his._

Sam's eyes widened. "Hey, she came onto me. I didn't know you two were together." He tried to explain.

Merle swiftly crossed the room. He grabbed Sam by the throat and tossed him against the wall roughly. He held his blade up to his throat.

Merle glanced at her. "You alright darlin'?" He asked.

Beth nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Sam was sweating and he began protesting loudly.

"Shut up! Ain't nobody comin' for you! Think you can make it back to the kitchen?" Merle asked her.

"I think so." Beth said shakily.

Merle nodded. "Alright. Go 'head darlin'. I'll be along shortly. Me and Sam here's gonna have us a little chat."

Beth tried to pull her shirt together to cover her chest but it wasn't working.

"Take my shirt from 'round my waist. Cover yerself up." Merle said.

Beth went and untied his black button-up shirt and slipped it on. It wrapped around her slender frame twice. His eyes met hers once more and she thought she saw pain reflected in his but it was gone when she looked closer. She fled the room and ran the whole way back into the kitchen.

...

Stumbling inside, she frightened Carol who was just beginning dinner. Carol smiled at her, then gasped as she took in Beth's bruised cheek and disheveled appearance. She dropped her dish and it shattered as it hit the floor.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Carol demanded as she ran to Beth.

Beth started sobbing uncontrollably. Carol put an arm around her shoulders and tried to soothe her as she looked her over. She ushered her over to the cells.

"Hershel!" Carol yelled.

Hershel came out of his cell a few moments later and was startled as he took in his daughter's appearance.

"Get her into my cell. Hurry." Hershel said to Carol.

...

Merle dragged Sam's body out into the yard away from the other's prying eyes. He tossed him onto a pile that they had made for walkers and walked away. He hadn't wanted to kill him but he felt like he hadn't had a choice. Sam had struggled against him but Merle was stronger and his blade had cut into Sam's throat, making him bleed profusely. Merle had stabbed him in the head then, to make sure he didn't turn.

Merle wasn't sorry. Men like that never changed. They would always be waiting for another opportunity. He had been around enough of them to know. Worry gnawed at him as he stalked through the yard and into the kitchen.

He found her in her daddy's cell. Hershel was speaking soothingly to her and she was lying down on his bunk. Her eyes were closed and Merle thought that she was asleep.

Carol glanced at him as he stood by the doorway. He noticed black beauty was also inside, probably trying to get the scoop, he figured.

"Are you alright?" Carol asked Merle.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Merle asked.

Carol looked him over. "You've got blood all over you. Yours?"

Merle shook his head. "No."

Carol exchanged a glance with Michonne. He looked back over to Hershel who was still leaning over Beth.

"She okay?" He asked roughly.

Hershel finally looked over to him. "She's upset but she'll be fine. She's got a nasty bruise on her cheek. I've given her something to make her rest a while." Hershel stood slowly and Carol took his place at Beth's side while Michonne still stood by the corner. Hershel walked over to Merle who was still leaning in from the outside of the cell.

"Can I talk to you for a minute in private?" Hershel asked.

Merle nodded and they walked over behind the stairs away from the others who were starting to gather. Hershel sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Beth told me bits and pieces of what happened. I assume you are the one who found her?" Hershel asked.

Merle nodded. "Yeah."

"I thank you for that. If you had not come by, my baby girl might be in worse condition. I don't know how to repay you." Hershel said.

"No payment necessary."

"There are those that think it is okay to take advantage of an innocent woman. God will judge them for their sins one day."

"Looks like today's his day." Merle drawled with a smirk.

Hershel looked at him. "You killed him?"

"I did." Merle said.

Hershel reflected on that for a minute. "Merle, if I was the same man I was back on the farm I would probably tell you that you were wrong. But we aren't at the farm and times have changed. What used to be acceptable is becoming the norm. We can't put our family in danger and with that being said, I can't say as I blame you."

Merle just looked at him thoughtfully and Hershel continued.

"I know that there is something between the two of you. I may be old, but I'm no fool. I want it to stop but I know she will never agree. I'm counting on you." Hershel told him.

Merle flicked a glance at the cell where she was and back to Hershel. "No worries, Doc. Ain't nothin' between us but friendship, plain an' simple."

Hershel studied him for a few moments before speaking. "Alright. I'm taking you at your word. Don't make me regret it please." Then he walked off and Merle leaned against the back of the stairs.

_Damn if that didn't kill the high I had goin'. Friends, huh? Old man gonna have my balls he find out I done screwed his daughter twice._

"Fuck." Merle cursed.


	9. Chapter 9

Merle sat on the back of a pickup truck and tossed a ball into the air with his hand. He really wanted to get out of these walls for a while. It was ironic really, that he be here in this prison when he had vowed never to go back after the last time he had gotten locked up.

He had been by Beth's cell a couple of times this morning already, glancing in at her when no one was watching. She had slept through the night and a few members of the group were concerned with how she would act after yesterday's events had a chance to sink in.

The others had been shocked to hear of what had happened to Beth when they had arrived back at the prison late last night. They had all been bone tired and there had been no whiff of the Governor so far. Maggie had ran to her sister's side and Hershel had followed along behind her. Merle knew that by now everyone had found out he had killed Sam. He expected some kind of hell for that but so far no one had said anything to him. _One less bastard we got ta worry 'bout._

"Hey."

Merle turned to see blondie's sister standing off to the side staring at him. She kicked at the concrete with her boot and appeared to be contemplating something. Merle just sat there and waited. He wasn't one to exchange pleasantries and he knew her hatred for him. The Governor had made him beat up that Asian kid. He hadn't really wanted to hurt the kid. Hell, the kid had never done anything to him. But Merle had a certain reputation to uphold and that meant he had to see the job through.

He glanced at blondie's sister again and waited for the lashing that was soon to follow. He hoped she would lay into him, he would enjoy a good argument right now. Anything to pass the time. Merle never had much patience for anything. He was seriously contemplating another smoke when she finally spoke up.

"I heard about what you did yesterday for Beth. I wanted to tell you thank you for that. I wish I could kill that guy myself." Maggie stopped and stared off into the distance.

Merle lifted a brow. "He was always a dick. World's a better place without 'em I reckon."

Maggie swallowed and looked back to him. "Yeah well, this doesn't make things right between us just so you know. I'll never forgive you for torturing Glenn like that."

Merle scoffed. "Ain't seekin' forgiveness. I know what I did was wrong. I had my reasons like everybody else I s'pose."

Maggie stared at him. "Why do you do that?" She asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Act so pissed off at the world like that. You're so cold. Maybe if you acted a little nicer, you would fit in. Daryl has."

Merle stood up. "I ain't never fit in in my whole life and I ain't 'bout ta start tryin' now. I am who I am an' I ain't changin' for nobody! My brotha's always been soft. Look around you missy, world's a cold, dark, place. You better keep that in mind. Jus' you wait. One of these days one o' you's gonna need an asshole like ole' Merle an' I won't be there. Why you think they send me ta do the dirty work? Cause they can't handle it." Merle hissed to her face.

Maggie glared at him, turned on her heel, and walked away.

Merle dug through his pockets for the rest of his weed.

...

Beth woke from a hard sleep and rubbed her eyes. She smelled soup and she smiled as she pictured her momma making her soup when she was a kid. Then she focused on the walls of her cell and it all came flooding back to her. She wasn't at the farm with her momma. She was at the prison and she had almost been raped if it hadn't been for Merle.

_Merle._

She looked around and spotted a bowl of soup on the table next to her bed. Her stomach grumbled in response to the smell and she grabbed the bowl and began spooning it into her mouth. It was still warm and it was probably the best thing she had eaten in a while. She had missed dinner yesterday and she assumed from the light coming in through the small windows that it was almost dinner time now. She glanced up as Carol walked in the room.

"Oh, you're awake! Good. We've been wondering when you would come back to us." Carol smiled at her and sat next to her on the bed.

Beth continued to eat her soup. "What happened to that man?" She asked softly.

"Oh, no need to worry about that honey, No one is going to bother you anymore. You're safe."

Beth nodded. She wondered why Carol hadn't answered her question. Hershel walked into the room and smiled as he saw his daughter sitting up in the bed.

"How are you feeling honey?" He asked.

He grabbed her hand and did a check of her pulse and listened to her heartbeat for a few moments.

"I'm okay I suppose." Beth said quietly.

Carol squeezed her hand and got up to give them some time alone. Hershel waited until she had left the room to speak.

"You had quite the trama yesterday. Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

Beth shook her head. "Not yet. I want to talk to Merle."

Hershel sighed. "Sweetheart. Is there something you need to tell me about Merle?"

Beth stared at her father in shock. _Had he found out? There's no way he found out._

She chose her words carefully. "I would like to thank him for saving me."

Hershel stared at her another minute and then nodded. "I can understand that. We are very grateful that he happened to find you. I just worry that you might be developing a crush on him. He's much older than you dear and it wouldn't be healthy." Hershel set her empty soup bowl back onto the table and drew her up close to his side.

"Don't worry daddy. I'm not a little girl anymore. I haven't done anything I shouldn't. " Beth lied.

"Well, good. I've already had a talk with Merle about this and he agreed to not encourage you any farther. We wouldn't want this to get out of control. There are plenty of young boys here that you could be interested in. Why, that Corey fellow from Woodbury is around your age. He seems like a nice young man."

Beth listened to her daddy carry on about some boy she didn't even know and she began to feel sick to her stomach. She didn't care for those boys, she only had eyes for one man. It figured that he was the one man she couldn't have.

"I don't think I'm ready for that. I just need to get some fresh air. I'm going to go take a walk." Beth stood up and began putting on her boots.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Hershel asked. "I'll get Maggie to go with you."

"No! I would rather go alone. I need to process this. I'll stay within sight. I'll be fine." Beth squeezed his hand before leaving the room. She walked outside and momentarily became dizzy as the glare from the sun hit her in the eyes.

"Are you okay?" Glenn grabbed her arm to steady her.

She gasped as a memory from yesterday came flooding back to her and she forced a smile. "I'm fine. I just need some air is all."

She walked quickly away and left him standing there, gazing after her. She passed by everyone and walked around to the side of the building where she could be alone. She leaned against the brick walls and slid slowly to the ground. Tears she didn't even know she had began to spill down her cheeks and she laid her head on her arms and sobbed.

...

Merle had just begun to smoke when he heard the noises. He tried to ignore them but they kept getting louder and he couldn't very well catch a buzz when it kept distracting him. He put the joint out and stuck it back in his pocket _. He would figure out what the hell was making that racket an' then he would finally get ta smoke._

He walked around the side of the building and turned a corner. He heard someone crying but he didn't see anyone. He began to turn away to leave because Merle didn't do hysterical women. He didn't have time for that kind of drama. He caught a glimpse of golden blonde hair as he turned and he cursed his luck.

He sighed. He couldn't very well leave blondie to sit there bawling her eyes out. _Might as well take the opportunity to find out what's goin' on before someone shows up._

...

Beth wiped her eyes on her sleeve and let the shudders run through her body. She was tired of being babied. She was hurt and she yearned for the comfort of a man who had no idea what comfort was. She felt broken.

She heard footsteps and she froze and began to panick. She jumped up and felt a strong hand on her arm.

"Shh... easy now. It's jus' me." Merle's voice said.

She glanced up at him and felt the tears start anew. Without thinking, she threw herself into his arms and cried. He stood there awkwardly for a moment and then slowly he wrapped his arm around her. He didn't speak and he didn't touch her but he did let her cry it out, and for that she was thankful. When she finally began to calm down, she pulled back to wipe her eyes.

"Thanks." She sniffed.

Merle nodded his head. He glanced around and sat on an overturned crate. Reaching out his hand, he flipped another one over so that she could sit.

"Ya goin' to be alright?" He asked stiffly.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm just thinking about everything." She sat on the crate and tried to get herself under control. The last thing she wanted to do was completely fall to pieces in front of Merle. She didn't think Dixon's were equipped to handle emotional women.

"Talked to yer Pa."

"I know. He told me this morning." She paused. "I'm not giving up. I want to be with you." She stated. _Actually, she loved him but she definitely didn't think he would want to hear that._

"Listen darlin', there's lots of other things ya should be focusin' on. There's other men here more appropriate for ya." Merle gritted his teeth as he spoke the last part.

"You sound like daddy! I don't want anyone else. I want _you_." Beth said determinedly.

Merle stood up. "Damn it girlie! I'm twice yer age! What do I have ta offer ya?"

Beth thought about it for a minute. "There's something about you. I can feel it and I know you feel it too. There's more to you than you show people."

Merle laughed sarcastically. "Ya think ya got me all figured out huh?"

Beth stood up and crossed to him. "No. But I want to try." She said softly.

Merle ran his hand over his head and frowned. No one had ever fought for him before. He wasn't sure how to react. _How the fuck was he supposed ta push her away when she kept sayin' shit like that? He wasn't even sure he wanted ta push her away._

Beth touched his hand and the simple contact set him on fire. He grabbed her by the waist and pressed his mouth to hers. She melted under him until he moved to her neck and then she began to struggle as horrible images came flooding back at her. Gasping, she yanked away from him.

Merle stood there with his chest heaving, not saying a word. "He kiss ya there?" He finally asked softly.

Beth nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak without crying again. "Yes." She whispered.

Merle clenched his fist and looked away from her. She reached out to touch his fist but he pulled back from her.

"Yer better off with the men yer age blondie. I ain't got nothin' you need." Merle said through clenched teeth. He was barely controlling his anger. He knew that if he got angry she might take it the wrong way and he needed to get away from her.

"Please don't say that." She whispered.

She tried to reach for him again but he stepped to the side. He wouldn't look her in the face and that hurt.

He swallowed once. "Glad yer alright."

With that being said, he turned on his heel and walked off, leaving her standing there all alone.


	10. Chapter 10

Beth awoke that night in a fit of panic.

She could still feel that guy Sam's hands on her skin and she rolled over on her bunk and gagged a little. She managed to keep from throwing up her soup and she took deep calming breaths and tried to calm her beating heart. _I've got to get air,_ she thought.

She stood up shakily and grabbed her shoes from there corner by the bed. The only sounds she heard were the usual ones and she hurried outside. Quietly closing the door behind her, she paused to take deep gulping breaths of air. She crossed her arms around her middle and looked around. She could see the faint light coming from the guard tower and she wondered who had duty tonight.

She approached the door silently and then started having second thoughts. _What if it was someone she didn't recognize as well? What if it was someone from Woodbury?_ Heart pounding, she turned to go back inside and jumped into the air when the door to the stairs opened.

Merle gave her a look. "What are you doin' out here?" He asked.

Beth was so relieved it was Merle that she almost smiled. Then she remembered how he had left her earlier and she almost wished it _had_ been someone different. She stood there trying to come up with something to say when he grabbed her arm. She gasped as he pulled her along behind him up the stairs. Reaching the top, he sat her in a chair and leaned over her with his hand gripping the armrest. He peered at her face intently.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Makin' sure ya ain't gonna fall apart on me again. Can't take any more female dramatics."

Beth felt her face flame. She started to let him have it but he interrupted her.

"Why you walkin' 'round out there by yerself?" He asked. He stood up slowly, his blue gaze cutting into hers.

She looked down at her feet. "I had a nightmare. It's stupid, I know." She murmured.

...

Merle cursed and punched his fist into the wall. Beth jumped and he immediately felt guilty. He was hard as rock and he wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside of this girl and forget everything.

"Ya tryin' ta gut me darlin'?" He rasped.

She looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

He smirked. "Ya makin' me question my judgement. Very few people have ever done that." He admitted.

"Did you kill that man?" She asked suddenly.

Merle tensed. "I did. I ain't sorry for it neither."

"I'm glad." Beth whispered and Merle's gaze bore into hers. "Is that bad?"

Merle thought about it for a minute. _Hell, he wasn't sorry. But here blondie was askin' his opinion on whether or not she was wrong for bein' mad a man was dead_.

"I ain't exactly the best person ta be comin' to for advice sweetheart." He said instead.

She looked so lost for a moment that Merle wanted to reach for her but stopped himself. Instead, he walked out to stand by the rail.

...

Beth watched him go out to the rail. His muscles rippled underneath his dingy white tank and she briefly remembered she had his black shirt still. She watched him for a few moments then she went out to stand next to him. She wanted his mouth back on hers, his hands roaming her body again. She wanted to feel alive and only he could make her feel that way.

She knew he surrounded himself with this tough exterior. She had seen glimpses of the man Merle could have been had his life taken a different route. She studied the lines on his face, etched deep from years of stress and worry. She didn't look at him and see his age. She wasn't quite certain exactly how old that was, but he didn't look it physically. His muscles were well defined and his legs were thick and strong. She remembered the feel of his chest over her, the chest hair brushing over her lightly. She closed her eyes as she remembered their last encounter in the shower, their bodies wet and slick, rubbing against each other.

"What tha hell?" Merle's curse broke into her daydream.

She opened her eyes and glanced around the yard to the fences, searching for the source of his frustration.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Thinkin' 'bout somethin' good darlin'? Them lil' moans sound awf'ly familiar."

She cleared her throat as her face burned it's embarassment. She hadn't meant to moan out loud. She glanced at him and mistakenly looked to the zipper of his pants. His erection was straining against the denim of his jeans and when she looked at him, she saw that his eyes had darkened as well.

"I'm sorry, I was just-"

"Thinkin' 'bout me puttin' my hands on ya? Or how 'bout my mouth?" He interrupted.

She swallowed and realized she was turned on. She wanted him badly. "Yes." She answered.

He pushed away from the rail to walk over to her. There was nothing fast about his walk; his stride was slow and filled with purpose. Her insides tingled in response. He stopped just in front of her. She was breathing hard. He caressed her with his eyes and she shivered as if it were his hands instead.

"I could take ya right here. Turn ya over against that desk and make ya beg for mercy." He said softly.

Beth swallowed. _Yes, please!_ She kept quiet though. His jaw was clenched and she knew he was barely maintaining control like herself. The sexual tension in the room was thick and buzzed with live energy.

He took his hand and pushed her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes at his touch and leaned into his hand. His eyes flashed at her gesture. He dropped his hand and closed it into a fist.

"Better get on back girlie." He rasped.

Beth's gaze darted to his sharply. She shook her head. "No."

"Dammit! Ya need ta listen to yer elders!" He shouted.

Beth almost smiled at his term for himself. _No one_ looked at Merle and defined him as elderly. He was anything but.

"I'm not leaving." She said softly.

Merle laughed crudely. "I could make ya."

"You wouldn't." She stated.

"Ya sure 'bout that are ya?" He asked.

She nodded and closed the gap between them. She let her hand trail over the bulge in his pants and it jumped against her touch.

"You want this as much as I do." She whispered.

Merle's nostrils flared. "I ain't in the mood for gentle darlin'. Best you be gettin' out now before I do somethin' I regret."

"I thought you never regretted anything?" She watched as her words flickered in his eyes. They stared at each other for so long until finally he spoke.

"Fine. Have it yer way. Ya wanna be bad? I can show ya bad." He murmured and he pressed her up against the wall.

He wedged his leg in between hers and grabbed her breasts through her shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra and he groaned at the surprise. She waited for the memories of yesterday to come rushing in but they never came. She knew she was safe with Merle. His touch was now familiar to her as was his scent as it invaded her nose. He smelled woodsy with a hint of sweat.

Merle sucked her bottom lip in between his teeth and nibbled softly as his hand traveled down her body to her shorts. She sucked in her belly slightly and he pushed his hand inside to find her center. He dipped first one finger and then two inside of her and he watched with a smile as her body arched against his.

"Okay?" He asked. She knew he was referring to her panic from earlier and she nodded.

She could think of nothing but wanting to feel him over her and inside her. Grabbing his hand she gestured for him to continue and he quickly resumed his pace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whimpered into his ear. He continued his assault with his fingers as he tilted his head at her shirt.

"Get ridda that." He commanded.

She quickly slipped it up and over her head and his mouth descended on her nipples as soon as it was out of the way. She moaned as the sensations threatened to overwhelm her. She panted for breath.

"Merle." She moaned.

His only response was a growl that sent shivers up and down her spine. She rode his fingers hard until finally she felt her body spiral out of control and Merle had to quickly use his legs to keep her in the upright position.

Once the last of the shudders had left her body, he pulled out his fingers. Keeping his eyes on her, he stuck them in his mouth and licked them clean of her juices. She laid her head upon his chest and felt his arm go around her waist to support her. After a few moments, she reached for his pants but he stopped her with his hand.

"No." He said firmly.

"What?" Beth protested.

"Ya got yer relief. I may not have kept my whole end o' the bargain but I ain't sleepin' with ya. Now go on ta bed."

Beth took a deep breath. "Let me at least help you with yours."

Merle made sure she had her balance before stepping backwards. "Ain't happenin' suga'."

Beth's relief from moments before was quickly being replaced by frustration. She was done with it all. She was tired of being mousey Beth that everyone pushed over. She had desires. She had needs. Tomorrow she was going to voice those needs.

And be damned the consequences.


	11. Chapter 11

When Beth woke the next morning, she found Carol and Daryl in the kitchen together. Daryl was rocking Judith in his arms and she was cooing at him while waving her hands in the air to try and grab his beard. Carol was sitting at the table with a pile of clothes, casting glances and smiles their way. The kitchen was otherwise empty and Beth realized she must have slept through breakfast. Daryl glanced at her when she walked in then winced as Judith made contact with his beard.

"Easy Lil' Asskicker, you got quite a grip on ya." Daryl smiled at Judith.

"Good morning." Beth said as she grabbed a protein bar and sat down across from Carol.

"Morning, sleep well?" Carol smiled at her. Beth noticed she was sifting through and mending some of the clothes in front of her.

"I guess _too_ well because I must have missed breakfast." Beth said.

Carol laughed. "Everyone hasn't been gone that long. You didn't miss much. These days, it's eat and run."

Beth smiled. "I suppose so."

She noticed Daryl kept casting glances her way but he didn't say anything. She knew he was thinking about his brother. She hadn't talked to Daryl much since he had cornered her that night and she didn't know if he was mad at her or not. She took a bite of her protein bar and chewed thoughtfully. She was deciding the best way to get to Merle and just be able to be with him without having to hide it. She knew her daddy was going to be disappointed in her and Maggie probably wouldn't talk to her for a while. She was so tired of it all. She had finally found something worth fighting for and she wasn't about to give it up that easily. She would just have to make them see that Merle wasn't _all_ bad.

…

Merle wiped the sweat off of his forehead and gathered supplies into a bag. He was going off on his own. His plan was to track the Governor down and get a feel for what the bastard was up to. The others might be okay with waiting and not knowing but that wasn't Merle's style. If it was going to happen, he wanted to be prepared for it. He added a couple of boxes of ammo to his bag and zipped it up. He tucked his pistol into the waistband of his khakis and spotted Daryl and Rick walking over to him. He sighed. He should have known this wasn't going to be an easy out. Michonne had been watching him this morning out of the corner of her eye and she had disappeared recently so he figured she had went to Rick and Daryl.

"Mornin' officer. Brotha." Merle said cheerfully.

"What's goin' on Merle?" Daryl asked.

"Jus' doin' a lil' trackin'. Nothin' ta worry 'bout." Merle replied.

Daryl narrowed his eyes at that and Rick glanced at his bag.

"Where to?" Rick asked.

"Wherever the wind blows me I reckon'." Merle slung the bag over his shoulder.

"An' where might that be?" Daryl demanded. "This ain't 'bout the Governor is it?"

"And what if it is, lil' brotha? I'm tired of waitin' it out. Y'all might be okay with staying here like sittin' ducks but I ain't. Ya want somethin' done, gotta do it right." Merle said and with that he turned to leave the gate.

Rick stood in the same spot and stared as Daryl jogged over to him.

"Hey. Ya can't go out there alone. It ain't right. That's a suicide mission." Daryl insisted. He put his hand on Merle's shoulder.

Merle glanced at his brother's hand. He took a deep breath. "Ain't for you ta decide. It's done." Merle shook his brother's hand off and opened the gate.

He closed it back and Daryl just stood there looking at him. He tried to pay him no attention as he gutted two walkers that had come to investigate the noises.

"So that's it then? Ya jus' gonna go? And if ya don't come back, then what?" Daryl shouted.

"I guess ya better be prepared for war." Merle called as he headed to the woods.

…

Beth watched the scene from the courtyard of the prison. She watched Daryl touch Merle's shoulder and saw him shrug it off. She couldn't let him leave knowing that he might die. _She had to go to him._

She slipped back to her room unnoticed. Grabbing up a change of clothes and the knife Daryl had given her, she slipped them into her small pack. She left her cell and slipped into Glenn and Maggie's. Most everyone was out and about and she quickly scanned the room before she spotted what she was looking for. Grabbing those she turned and saw Maggie's spare gun lying on the table. She grabbed it up too and slid it into her bag. She checked the drawers and found one box of ammo that went into the bag with everything else. Slowly, she checked the hallway for signs of the group. She crept down to the kitchen and grabbed bottled water and food. Her pack felt good and full. Now she just had to slip out unnoticed. She heard voices and she quickly stepped backwards into the office, keeping the door open just a crack to listen.

"I'm goin' after him." Daryl's voice was the first she heard.

"No. We need you here. What if the Governor shows up while he's out there?" Rick said.

"He's crazy! He's just going to get things stirred up! What if the Governor planned to just leave us alone and he goes out there and provokes him?" Maggie said.

"Maggie, I don't think the Governor is going to let this go. Michonne killed his _daughter._ She also cost him an eye." Glenn's voice rang out.

"We can't jus' leave him out there!" Daryl cried.

"It's me he wants. Glenn's right. He's conniving and he's out for revenge. I was around him enough to know he's not going to let this go." Michonne said softly.

"Rick, we can't afford to lose anyone else by following Merle on one of his binges." Hershel spoke up.

Beth leaned against the door and listened to them go on and on. No one seemed to notice that she was unaccounted for. She began to sweat in the hot enclosed space. She wished they would hurry. The longer it took her to get out of here, the farther away Merle would get and the longer it would take her to find him. She didn't know anything about tracking. She did know that she wasn't letting him go, not knowing if he would come back. How long would they give him before someone assumed he was captured or worse- dead?

…

Merle laughed as he rammed a walker back into a tree with his blade. He twisted it into the walker's gut and pulled out quickly to stab it in the head.

"Fuckin' rotten flesh eatin' bastards." He grumbled.

He shook his blade to rid it of walker guts and paused to take a drink of water. It didn't quench his thirst and he viciously wished for liquor. He had been at it for a while now and so far he hadn't found any sign of the Governor or his men. He knew the bastard was lying low somewhere, biding his time. He would strike the prison when he was ready and he wouldn't forget.

Merle continued on through the woods at a steady pace. He had tried to take care of his frustration last night after blondie had left him. He had wanted more than anything to bury himself inside of her tight little body and it had taken incredible restraint on his part to make her leave. He wondered if he was going soft like his brother.

"Fuck that." Merle scoffed to himself as he continued walking.

He supposed the restraint had come because of the farmer. The way he had looked at Merle and took him at his word without question that he would leave her alone, kept eating at him. No one had ever put that much confidence in him before, not even Daryl. She had looked so damn good standing there that he just couldn't leave her wanting. He wondered what she was doing right now. If she was prancing around in those tight ass shorts of hers.

"Christ! I'm like a fuckin' teenage boy!" Merle swore.

He walked for a while before coming to a halt at seeing a house in a field. It looked empty from his point of view but he knew looks could be deceiving. At any rate, he knew he should check it out and see what was inside.

He crept up to the porch and peeked his head around to see in one of the windows. There was a dead body lying on the floor of what appeared to be a living room. Glancing around outside, Merle went to the door and slowly opened it. He listened for any noises but all was quiet. Doing a sweep of the rooms, he turned up nothing other than the body he had first spotted. There was a gun lying on the floor next to the head and Merle could tell from the body that it was a man. The guy must have committed suicide with a shot to the head.

 _Lucky him,_ Merle thought.

...

Beth was finally able to leave the office some time later. She wasn't sure how long had passed now but she guessed maybe thirty minutes. She slipped out of the kitchen and slid along the brick of the building to the back. Doing one last glance around to make sure she hadn't been spotted, she grabbed the wire cutters from her pack and the wire. She spotted a walker ambling around towards her direction from the outside and she waited until it was closer and stabbed it in the eye through the fence. She let out a deep breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.

Heart pounding, she clipped the fence just enough for her to crawl through. Coming out through to the other side, she did another sweep and turned to the fence to patch it back together with the wire. Satisfied that it would hold and nothing would sneak in on the others, she took off at a run, slipping into the edge of the trees.

She had never been out here on her own, _ever_. She was completely terrified but she pushed on. She had to find Merle. He couldn't be out there alone; she wouldn't have it. She would make him listen and bring him back to the group. They would fight together as a unit, not all alone.

She finally made it to the side of the prison and made sure to stay just within the trees so that whoever had guard duty would not see her. She saw a couple of walkers off to the side and they started to give chase but she darted into a run and found she was able to outrun them.

Some time later, she came upon a walker dead by a tree and immediately smiled. _Merle._ The walker had been gutted in true Merle fashion and she knew then that she was on the right track. Maybe she _could_ do this. Maybe Beth Greene could be a fighter. She was so engrossed in those thoughts that she almost ran right into three walkers that were somewhat camoflauged by bushes.

Coming to an abrupt halt, she grabbed her knife and stabbed at one of them but she only managed to swipe it's arm. The walkers began stumbling over themselves trying to grab her and tear into her flesh. She heard the sickening snap of their jaws as they tried to take a bite out of her. Panicking, she reached into her bag and pulled out her gun. Stumbling backwards a few steps, she tried to focus her sights on the walkers and managed to squeeze off two shots before hitting her target. _One down, two to go._

She knew that the shots could potentially bring more walkers into the area but she hoped to be long gone before that happened. Steadying her shaking hands, she fired off five more rounds before hitting the last two. She stuffed her gun into the waist of her pants and situated her pack. She took off again in what she prayed was the direction of Merle.

...

Merle rummaged through the cabinets of the house he was in. He had decided he was going to sleep there and take off fresh again in the morning. He wasn't in a hurry. He found a couple of cans of beans, a can of Spam, and a jar of peanut butter. Shrugging, he grabbed them up and tossed them onto the table. Next he went to the bedroom and bathroom. Nothing much useful in the bathroom besides some aspirin and Merle was disappointed there hadn't been any good drugs. He did manage to find some more weed in the bedroom and he grinned and opened the bag to take a deep whiff.

"Ahh. Smells like home. Come to daddy." Merle chuckled.

Humming to himself, he went into the kitchen and began to roll himself a smoke. Lighting it, he took a deep drag and let it out slowly. He headed back to the living room and grabbed a blanket from the couch. Spreading it out on the floor he took his boot and nudged the body up and on it. He took the end and rolled the body until it was completely concealed. Grabbing the end of the blanket, he pulled the body onto the porch and then down to the ground. He saluted the body.

"Appreciate yer gracious hospitality." He tipped his head at the dead body with a smirk.

He swept a glance around the perimeter but didn't see any threats. He hadn't seen much in the way of tracks so far. There had been a few prints but they hadn't been fresh and Merle wasn't sure they were from the Governor. He wondered what the bastard was planning and where he was.

Doing one last turn, he went back into the house. The house appeared to be a lot bigger than it was. The rooms were spacious but there was only the one bedroom with a living room, bathroom, kitchen, and laundry. He grabbed his flashlight from his pack and set it on the counter. He began to rummage around alternate light and finally found an old oil burning lamp. He was starting to feel good again as the smoke filled his lungs. He grabbed the can of Spam off of the table, popped the top, and began to eat. All he needed now was some entertainment and he was all set.

...

Beth stumbled out of the woods, panting from her exertions. She was beginning to panick thinking she wouldn't find Merle before dark and she had no idea where she would sleep. She didn't relish the idea of sleeping in the woods, alone, with walkers. Seeing a house in the distance, she broke into a jog again. She was so relieved to find a place she could possibly use that all thoughts of Merle were temporarily put on hold as she pushed herself to make it.

Gasping for breath, she paused outside of the house by the steps. She didn't see any walkers around anywhere but she didn't know what might be lurking inside. Grabbing her knife she walked up the steps and pressed her ear to the door. She heard light shuffling and she groaned inwardly. She hoped it was only one walker and not a herd because she didn't think she could handle that right now. She was exhausted.

She didn't know how Daryl and Merle did this all day without seeming to break a sweat. Bracing herself, she reached for the knob and slowly pushed the door open. Heart pounding, she peered into a living room and found no one. Pressing further on, she heard more movement in the kitchen area. There were a few bangs and then she heard an umistakable curse.

Eyes wide, she peeked around the doorway and saw Merle dipping his fingers in a jar of peanut butter. He was grinning and he seemed to thoroughly be enjoying himself. Putting down her pack on the couch, she went and stood in the doorway to watch him.

It only took a few minutes before he finally glanced up and their eyes met. He widened his eyes and looked down before looking back up at her again.

"Daammnn...girl. You lookin' mighty fine in them clothes. My imagination must be workin' overtime. Nothin' lookin' that good never been true for ole' Merle." He laughed.

"I followed you. I can't let you go out there all alone. I'm coming with you."

Merle cocked a brow at her. "See that's where ya wrong. Come first light, yer ass is goin' back. Ain't got time for no lil' girls." Merle smiled.

"I'm not a little girl!" Beth shouted.

"Yeah? Sure act like it."

"Well you act like an _ass._ " Beth retorted.

Merle put down the peanut butter and sauntered over to her. He stopped right in front of her so close that she could feel his breath on her face. He gazed intently at her.

"That's cause I a _m_ an ass, sugar tits. And don't you forget it."


	12. Chapter 12

Beth stood there staring at Merle until he started laughing like a lunatic. She narrowed her eyes at him as she tried to figure out if he had been drinking.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Nothin' sweetheart. Jus' laughin' at the irony of the situation is all. Came here ta get away and think 'bout things and here ya are, right in front a me!" He laughed again.

Beth watched him walk back around the counter and begin eating again. "Have you been drinking?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I wish. Damn place is dry as a bone. Did find some good weed though so it wasn't a complete waste." Merle held up the little baggie.

"You're _high?_ " Beth asked incredulously.

Merle chuckled. "Don't tell me lil' miss has never smoked a joint in 'er life? Daddy kept ya sheltered from everythin' huh?"

Beth looked down at her feet. Apparently, she _had_ led a somewhat sheltered life. It was hard to do anything growing up without everyone telling her daddy about it. They had been a respected part of the community and things like that had been frowned upon. Not to mention that it was against their beliefs. But then again, what good did it do to believe anymore? She wasn't sure what she believed in now; everything was so screwed up.

Merle snatched up the jar of peanut butter and walked over to her. Putting it into the crook of his arm, he was able to hold it while he took his hand and dipped his finger into it. Pulling his finger out, he grinned at Beth.

"Open wide sugar." He coaxed.

Beth eyed him suspiciously. He stood there and simply waited like he had all the time in the world. Sighing, she held her mouth open. He stuck his finger into her mouth and she closed her lips around it and had to suck hard to get all the peanut butter off of his finger. He was watching her through half-closed eyes.

She almost moaned at the taste. They hadn't had peanut butter in quite some time and even though it wasn't overly sweet, it was still the sweetest thing they had had in a long time.

Beth groaned. "I would kill for a snickers right now." She said.

"Mmm...I got some ideas on what ya an do ta pass the time." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Beth shoved his shoulder. "Oh, no! You are not getting by that easy! What do you think you're doing coming out here all by yourself?" She demanded.

Merle leaned against the doorway casually. "Yer killin' my high darlin'."

"What are you talking about?"

Merle reached into his pocket and pulled out the bag of weed. Then he walked over to the table again and began rolling another joint. Beth watched from the doorway fascinated. She could tell it definitely wasn't his first time.

"You're using drugs?" Beth asked loudly.

Merle glanced at her and smirked. "This ain't drugs. This right here is heaven." He paused and took a long drag.

"That's disgusting." Beth said.

Merle shrugged. "Makes ya forget the world has gone ta shit. I'd say it's impressive." He mused.

Beth watched him thoughtfully as he continued to smoke. She had to admit, she was a _little_ curious. It smelled a little strong though and she was scared of what it might do to her.

"Comere' darlin'. Try it." Merle coaxed.

Beth looked from him to the weed and back to him again. She really shouldn't do it. She had always been against any type of drugs and her daddy would have a fit for sure. _Maybe just this once. Just one time so I can say I wasn't afraid. That when the world went to Hell, Beth Greene lived._

"Alright." Beth said suddenly.

Merle paused in confusion for a few moments. Slowly, a grin began to form upon his face.

...

"Has anyone seen Beth?" Carol asked the group as she walked in the kitchen to start dinner. She realized she hadn't seen her since this morning and now Judith was awake from her nap and she needed Beth's help to entertain her so she could prepare a meal for everyone.

"Not since earlier, I think," Maggie said. She held out her arms for Judith. "Here, I'll take her." She smiled at the baby and Judith cooed happily at the attention.

Carol looked at the others but no one else had any information on Beth's whereabouts. Hershel and Daryl walked in from outside and Carol went to Hershel to ask.

"Have you seen Beth today Hershel?" She was beginning to get worried. Normally, Beth checked on her and Judith at least once throughout the day. It wasn't like her to just disappear.

Hershel frowned. "Actually I haven't seen her all day. No one else has seen her either?"

Carol exchanged a glance with Daryl. They were both thinking the same thing. _Merle._

"Let's not jump ta conclusions. I'll go do a check around the fences and see if she mighta' just slipped off for some quiet time." Daryl told Carol.

Carol nodded but she didn't look hopeful as she went with Hershel to sit down.

...

Daryl almost ran right into Rick as he was walking outside. Rick took one look at his face and stopped short.

"What's going on? Is it the Governor?" Rick asked quietly.

"Nah. Worse. It's Beth." Daryl replied.

Rick brushed his hand through his hair. "What happened?" He asked.

"She's been missin' since Merle left this mornin'. No one's seen her since breakfast. It's gettin' dark out. I was goin' to do a perimeter check." Daryl said.

Rick contemplated that for a few minutes and then his eyes widened. "You don't think-"

"That's e _xactly_ what I think." Daryl interrupted him.

Rick paced back and forth. "Why would she do that?"

Daryl looked around the yard. "She's got it in 'er head that she's in love with Merle."

"Are you kidding me? Does Hershel know about this?"

Daryl shrugged. "If'n he does, he ain't said nothin' to me. Between you and me, if she's out there, lookin' for him, she's better off bein' with 'em than on 'er own. Ya know what I mean?"

Rick nodded and blew out a breath. "Think you can track them? I don't want to send anyone out and put us short here but it looks like we don't have a choice. If we don't send someone out, Hershel will go himself once he finds out."

"I can probably track 'em. Assumin' he wants ta be found, that is. If'n he's coverin' his tracks, it could take me a while. The sooner I go, the better my chances. But first, we need ta make sure that's what happened. Ya know, in case she may be here...somewhere." Daryl didn't need to elaborate further. Neither of them wanted to be the one to explain to Hershel that Beth had been bitten. However, in Daryl's opinion, he would much rather tell him that than tell him his young daughter was off in the woods with his brother.

Daryl sighed and went to check the fence. He only prayed his brother would keep his hands to himself.

...

Beth had to admit. She was feeling pretty good right about now. She wasn't scared about walkers and she wasn't even worried about the Governor. It had taken her some time to get used to inhaling and not hacking her lungs up. Merle had laughed at her at first but now they were sitting in companionable silence on top of the table in the kitchen.

Beth was swinging her legs over the side. She tilted her head. "Feels like I'm on the edge of a building looking down. I didn't realize this table was so high." She giggled.

"Nah. You ain't gonna fall. If ya do, we'll just get you a fuckin' bandaid. No big deal." Merle said with a wave of his hand.

Beth snorted. "I'm not a baby. I think I can handle it."

"Enjoy it while ya can darlin'. When ya get ta be my age, ya wish ya were young again."

"You're not old Merle."

Merle looked at her. "I'm old enough ta be yer daddy lil' girl. An don't ya forget it."

"That's gross. I don't want to imagine that. You're much too good looking." Beth said.

"I am the better lookin' of the Dixon's." Merle boasted.

Beth laughed and he narrowed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that in a bad way." She said.

Merle relaxed and took off his prosthetic. He rubbed the stump a little and Beth watched him silently.

"Does that hurt?" She asked.

"What? The damn blade or the fact I got no hand?"

"The sleeve you use. It looks uncomfortable." She glanced at it and back at him again.

"It is. Pinches like hell." Merle rasped.

"Did you make it?" Beth asked. She had never heard him talk much about it and she figured since he appeared to be in a talking mood, she would see what she could find out.

"Nah. This fella at Woodbury did. He was good with shit like that." Merle paused and stared off in the distance. "When the Governor found me in Atlanta, I was near death. Had a hard time keepin' the walkers off me with the smell of the blood an' all. He could have left me ta die but he didn't. Took me back to Woodbury and the doc there nursed me back ta health. I was pretty bitter about losin' my hand and all and this fella offered ta make me a device that might help me. I tried it on and it almost felt like I had my hand back," He glanced at his stump. "Almost."

Impulsively, Beth grabbed his arm and began to rub her hand over his stump. She caressed it as gently as if she were caressing a newborn baby. Merle watched her stroke it then he reached with his other hand and touched her face with his fingers briefly. It was the sweetest gesture she had ever had from him and she longed for him to do it again.

"What are ya doin' ta me darlin'?" Merle whispered.

She stopped stroking. "What do you mean?"

"Yer makin' me crazy. I got respect for yer daddy and I made him a promise to stay away from ya. Except when ya do shit like this, ya take me off guard. No one has ever been so nice ta me before." Merle said.

Beth swallowed deeply. She wasn't sure if this was Merle talking or the weed they had smoked. She didn't know if she was high or not but the conversation had somehow turned serious and she wasn't sure how to proceed.

"You are a good man. Down deep where it matters." Beth placed her hand over his beating heart.

Merle's eyes darkened. "I ain't a good man sugar. Don't fool yerself. I done things that would shake ya to yer core."

"You did what you had to do to survive." Beth protested.

Merle jumped off the counter and stood between her legs to look her in the eye.

"Ya keep tellin' yerself that sugar. When you gonna stop talkin' and start doin'?" Merle challenged.

"What are you talking about?" Beth said.

Merle leaned into her face. "I'm goin' ta hell anyway right? Might as well make it a fun trip." He winked at her and pressed his lips to hers.

Groaning, she twined her arms around his neck and pressed herself into his kiss. He reached behind her and knocked everything off of the table with a sweep of his hand. He pressed her back onto the table and lifted her shirt to kiss her stomach. Merle was throbbing with need so hard it was painful. He slid her shirt up over her chest and she pulled it the rest of the way off. Grabbing her thigh, he yanked her hard to scoot her down towards him.

"Move yer bra." He grumbled.

Beth reached around behind her and fumbled with the clasp. Merle grew impatient and snatched up his blade. With one quick swipe, he cut it down the middle and her breasts were exposed.

She eyed him. "That was my only bra!" She protested.

Merle ignored her and closed her nipple into his mouth. She sucked in a breath and lay back down. She was so caught up in the sensations that she almost didn't notice the shadow in the doorway until it was too late.

"Merle!" She screamed.

Merle grabbed his knife and turned to stab the walker in the head. They heard more shuffling noises and Merle fastened his blade and grabbed his gun.

"Get dressed!" He yelled over his shoulder as he took off in the living room.

Beth scrambled to put her shirt back on. She looked at her bra and realized it wouldn't do her any good and dropped it to the floor. Grabbing her pack, she made sure she had her knife and followed Merle into the living room. There were two corpses on the floor and Merle had a pack strapped to his back. He was peeking out of a window.

"Shit!" He whispered.

She touched his shoulder. "What is it?"

Merle stood back up. "Damn corpse I tossed outside. Sons o' bitches must have smelled it. They're all over the field."

Beth gasped. They were sitting ducks in this house. She became acutely aware of how dark it had grown outside. She briefly closed her eyes and wished for the moderate safety of the prison. Merle walked past her through the kitchen to the back door. He peered out of the curtain for a few minutes then turned to her.

"Gotta make a run for it blondie. Not that many out back. Ya up for it?"

Beth swallowed but nodded in agreement. She gripped the handle of her knife tightly.

"Stay close." Merle said and threw open the door.


	13. Chapter 13

Daryl shouldered his crossbow onto his back and took off towards the woods where he had last seen Merle enter. Glenn and Maggie took out the walkers by the fence to give him a clear path. At the edge of the woods, he turned and saw Glenn and Maggie had made it back into the fence and Glenn raised his hand in salute. Daryl lifted his hand back and disappeared inside the forest. He kept his knife in his hand and his eyes to the ground and his surroundings. It was dusk so his light was very limited.

He paused at footprints by the base of a tree. Studying them, he came to the conclusion that they weren't walker prints but they were small and indeed fresh. _Beth._ He hoped she had found Merle and wasn't going to spend the night out here in the woods alone. He felt better knowing that she at least had had training now and she wasn't as awful as she had been when Daryl had first trained her. She still wasn't on par with the others as a fighter but she had a fair shot.

He continued on following the prints as far as he could track them until he couldn't see anymore. Grabbing his flashlight out of his back pocket he turned it on and swept the ground. Looking for some clue as to the direction of either, he spotted a cluster of prints and then a walker lying gutted at the base of a tree. He swept his light over the remains and smirked.

"Yeah, that's definitely Merle's work." Daryl whispered to himself.

He bent down to the walker and tapped it with his toe. Satisfied that it was dead, he touched the blood and sighed. It was cold so it had obviously been there for a while. Wiping his hand on his pants, he frowned and continued on. He couldn't afford to stop for the night.

…

Beth followed Merle through the yard behind the house and tried to remain calm. Merle was a machine as he stabbed and gutted walker after walker. She managed to help him a little as he took out two and another ambled their way. She stood there for a minute to judge its stance and then ran at it with her knife raised. She used both hands to bring it down to the walker's skull and was rewarded with the satisfying crunch as it caved in the walker's skull. It fell to the ground and she looked around for Merle. He kicked a walker in the shin and then rammed his blade through the head. He jogged over to her.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you got a sick sense of pleasure from that." Beth whispered.

He kept his eyes on the surroundings as he responded. "Good stress reliever. An' believe me I'm under a lotta stress right now. Let's go!"

They jogged through the field, ducking under trees and swerving around bushes. Eventually they came to a paved road and they stopped to catch their breath. Beth grabbed her bottle of water and drank greedily. She passed it to Merle who grunted his thanks and finished it off.

"What now?" Beth asked.

Merle tried to gather his thoughts. Since blondie was crashing his party, he supposed it would be safer to stick near the road instead of in the woods, especially at night. He pointed left.

"This way. Goin' right'll take us back by the prison." Merle said. He set the empty water bottle on the roof of an abandoned car and they started off down the road.

The moon cast a soft glow around them and it was oddly peaceful as they trekked down the road together. They encountered a few walkers on their walk, but Merle was quick to put them down and he did it so quietly that Beth was in awe of his skills. She was also starting to get very sleepy. She wasn't used to pulling all-nighters. It was starting to show because her feet were dragging and she was walking slower than before. Merle glanced at her.

"Dammit! Can ya try ta keep up darlin'?" He hissed.

"I'm sorry! I'm just really tired. I need sleep." Beth said.

She yawned and all of a sudden Merle grabbed her arm and began leading her off the road. She was about to ask him what the problem was when she saw the dingy motel off the side of the road. It was definitely one of those that you rented by the hour. Regardless, she was so tired, that she was grateful to see it. She followed beside Merle in a complete zombie induced state. Merle took out one walker that was hanging around then peered into a room on the end. Satisfied that it was clear, he ushered her inside and closed and locked the door behind them. It was pitch black inside with the door closed and the only sounds they heard were the sounds of their own breathing. Merle switched on a flashlight and covered it with a rag to dim it in case it attracted unwelcome attention.

Merle disappeared into the bathroom for a few moments and Beth lay back onto the bed. It was stiff and lumpy but it was better than the hard ground. When Merle exited the bathroom he saw that she was fast asleep, curled into the fetal position.

He sighed. "Damn woman's gonna be the death o' me." He muttered.

He lifted her slightly and worked the covers out from underneath her. Moving her pack to the floor, he covered her up and she didn't even stir. He left her boots on in case a quick getaway was needed. Merle didn't like being enclosed in a small space with so many places for walkers to hide. He made sure the door was locked securely and angled a chair underneath the knob just in case. He looked over at Beth sleeping soundly on the bed and grinned in spite of himself.

She had surprised him earlier. She had been the last person that Merle had expected to see walk in that house. Hell, he hadn't expected anyone really. Then she had walked in demanding to know what he was doing and insisting she was coming along. _She was stubborn, that one._

He sat down on the other side of the bed after taking one last peek out of the window and leaned his head against the headboard. Soon he drifted off to sleep as well.

…

After taking out numerous walkers, Daryl was running low on energy. He had been at it a lot lately helping Rick prepare for the Governor and hadn't gotten much sleep. He was grateful to run into a house in the distance. It was only when he drew closer that he realized someone must have been there recently. There was a mutilated corpse lying on what he assumed must have once been some kind of rug. He eased up the steps to the front door that was wide open. Hearing a noise to his left, he swung his bow in that direction and pressed the trigger just as the walker filled the doorway. It fell with a thud and Daryl stepped over it cautiously. He checked out the bedroom and the bathroom and made his way back to the kitchen. There were various odds and ends scattered over the floor and an open jar of peanut butter sat on the table top along with an empty can of Spam. He sniffed the can and knew it hadn't been out long. They had been here, Daryl could feel it.

He stepped around the table and almost tripped and fell. Cursing he glanced down at his boot and saw he was tangled in a woman's bra. Yanking it off of his boot he held it up to examine it. It was frilly and it wasn't too big. _Yep, that's Beth's alright._ He saw where it was cut down the front and he shook his head. He tossed it back on the floor and examined the table again. That's when he saw the empty bag. Picking it up, he smelled the distinct smell of the marijuana before he even held it to his nose.

_So the bastard was in here gettin' high, was he? Damn fool._

Daryl tossed the bag back onto the table and sighed. It was apparent that they _were_ together and Daryl knew Merle was capable of taking care of her. He didn't want to think about the possibility of them running into the Governor. He hoped Merle wouldn't be so stupid as to let Beth continue on with him but he knew it was useless to worry. Daryl did one more check and then secured the doors. He slumped down in the corner of the room with his crossbow in his lap and tried to get some sleep. He would get a lot farther in the daylight.

…

Merle woke up the next morning with a stiff neck and a small body wrapped around his waist. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked at her sleeping. She looked even younger in sleep and he wanted to kick himself for thinking that there could ever be anything between them. He wondered if they were out looking for her. He knew if anyone was, it would be his brother. Daryl was the only one that could track worth a damn.

A part of him felt bad that he was putting his brother through all this crap. He quickly knocked that feeling away as Beth mumbled something in her sleep and turned over, giving him a flash of her tits.

"Fuck. Me." Merle swore softly.

…

Beth was running after Merle. He was in the midst of a crowd of walkers and the Governor and his men were pounding into him. She struggled to get to him but two arms circled her waist and were holding her back. She clawed at the arms but they only grew tighter.

"Damn girlie. Wake up, ya havin' a dream!" Merle growled. He hissed in a breath as Beth's nails dug into his arm.

Beth opened her eyes groggily and found herself face to face with Merle. She looked around at her surroundings and it all came flooding back to her. _Just a dream._ She let out a deep breath and finally Merle released her. She noticed the scratches on his arms and she winced. She hadn't meant to scratch him.

"I'm sorry." She said.

Merle shrugged. "No big deal. We all have our share of nightmares from time ta time." He went to the window to look out. She wondered if he had them too. She peered around him and saw that it was barely daylight and there was a dense fog covering the ground like a blanket.

"Where do we go from here?" Beth asked.

Merle closed the curtain and looked at her. " _We_ don't go anywhere sugar. _You_ need to get back to yer Pa and sister. I travel alone." Merle said.

Beth bristled at his grumpiness. Gone was the Merle who had laughed with her, the one who had opened up to her briefly and gave her a glimpse into his life. He was back to being his usual sour self and Beth crossed her arms stubbornly.

"I'm coming with you. What if something happens? I'm not leaving you out here." She said firmly.

Merle narrowed his eyes. "Ain't up for discussion missy."

"Damn you Merle Dixon! I love you! I'm _not_ going back unless you go with me!" She cried.

Merle's expression changed from angry to startled and then back to angry.

"This ain't no game! What tha hell you think is gonna happen here?"

"I don't expect anything from you but I wasn't about to let another day pass without you knowing it." She walked over and pressed her finger into his chest. "If you don't want me to come then you're gonna have to carry me back or tie me down here because I'm staying!"

Merle cursed. She was a sight with her eyes blazing and feet planted far apart. He remembered that fire from her training with Daryl. She was the only one to ever stand up to him like that and he grudgingly admitted to himself that he kind of liked it.

Beth noticed the change in his mood as soon as it happened. His anger had turned into lust and she felt the vibrations of his body as she brought her hand to his chest.

"You know ya could die? We could both die? This ain't gonna be easy lil' girl." Merle rasped.

Beth nodded. "I know. Give me this one last time before we have to leave. Just touch me. _Please._ " She begged.

Merle let his knuckles graze over her nipples and watched as they puckered up through the shirt. She reached down and pulled the shirt over her head and his eyes darkened. He pushed her back onto the bed and stripped himself of his clothes while she removed her boots and pants. Completely naked, he stood at the foot of the bed and feasted his eyes over her body. She sat up and crawled on her knees to the edge of the bed. She pressed her mouth to his chest and grabbed him with her hand. He eyed her darkly through half-closed eyes.

She unbuckled his blade and slid it off his arm. He stood stock still as she stroked the stump like she had last night and pressed a kiss to it. She saw his muscles twitch slightly but other than that, he continued to stand still. She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around his neck. His breath was warm on her face and she pressed her lips to his neck. On a whim, she nipped him softly with her teeth and was rewarded for her efforts when he raised his arms to crush her to him. She could feel his hardness pressing against her belly.

He lowered his lips to hers and roughly kissed her until her lips were slightly swollen. She leaned back and he trailed his tongue down her neck into the valley between her breasts. He took each of her nipples into his mouth and sucked each hard until she let out a moan.

He let her go and she fell back to the bed with a flop. He pulled her to the foot of the bed until she was almost hanging off the end. Not giving her time to think, he lifted her legs to his shoulders and pressed his mouth to her core. She bucked off of the bed with a gasp. He felt her tighten her legs in an attempt to shut him out. His grip was stronger and he held them open easily.

Beth felt her face grow red hot as Merle kissed her so intimately. She felt his tongue dart in and out and she moaned before she could stop herself. It was so erotic and before she even sensed it coming, she was bucking underneath him as her body rode out the orgasm.

Merle greedily lapped up all of her juices and finally pulled away. He wiped his face and smirked at her. He crawled over her and kissed her breasts again before pulling back.

"Ain't got no protection." He huffed.

"It's okay. Just do it." Beth pleaded. She was so far gone that she didn't care what he did as long as he didn't stop.

"I'll pull out." Merle said.

Beth pulled him down for a kiss. He dipped his finger in her and found her wet and ready. He positioned himself and pushed into her. He groaned at her tightness. Beth wrapped her legs around him and he thrust into her swiftly over and over. She ran her hands up and down his chest, trying to memorize the feel of him. She knew this could very well be the last time they got to be together. If the Governor didn't kill them, her daddy would.

She glanced up into his face and saw him watching her. He winked at her and she shivered underneath him. She tried to hang on and make it last as long as possible but she couldn't hold back the orgasm that rocked her. She clung to him and rocked against him as the waves of pleasure washed over her.

"I love you." She whispered again.

He groaned and stiffened as he took his turn and spilled his seed inside of her. He pulled out but it was too late. The damage was done. He flopped onto his back.

"Shit." He muttered.

…..

Daryl took off from the house as the fog was lifting. The sun was trying to peek through the clouds and it looked like it was going to be another hot day. He stopped at the edge of the woods and relieved himself then he continued on across the field. He could see their tracks clearly here in the daylight. Apparently, they had been in a bit of a hurry as he followed the trampled undergrowth and flattened weeds. It was a long trek and he was sweating by the time he made it to the road.

He stopped to pull out some water and took a long drink while thinking about what direction they might have taken from here. He leaned against the vehicle and his arm hit an empty water bottle, sending it bouncing to the pavement. He bent over and picked it up. It was the same label that they had at the prison. The bottle still had a few droplets in the bottom. He grinned despite himself. They didn't even realize they were leaving him a trail everywhere they went. Daryl shook his head and turned left, hoping he was still headed in the right direction.

….

Beth winced slightly at the soreness between her legs as she hurried alongside Merle. The jeans she was wearing didn't help matters and she knew she was probably walking funny to ease the discomfort.

"Problems darlin'?" Merle said from next to her.

Beth glared at him. She could tell he was smirking at her but he didn't look her directly in the face. He knew exactly what her problem was. They had gone another round at the motel before cleaning up and hitting the road.

Merle had busted out a snack machine before they left. There hadn't been much left, just a few bags of chips and a pack of crackers. Beth had shoved them in her bag and they had taken off walking again. She wondered if Merle had any inkling of where the Governor was. He hadn't said much about it so far and she didn't want to bring it up again because he was still letting her come along. They walked in silence for a while and Beth grew bored.

"Do you even have any idea of where he might be?" Beth blurted suddenly.

"Nope. Jus' gonna have a look around. I gotta feelin' he ain't far. He's holed up somewhere plottin'." Merle said.

Beth didn't have to ask what he was plotting. That much was clear. He was plotting the deaths of their group at the prison. She knew her Maggie and her father must be worried sick but she tried to think of other things. She couldn't afford to lose focus right now. A chill ran through her body even as she wiped at her sweat at the thought that they could be ambushed at any time. She walked closer to Merle.


	14. Chapter 14

Maggie paced back and forth on the rail of the guard shack. Glenn watched her silently as he ate his plate of food she had brought him. She was worrying and he knew she wanted to be out there searching. Everyone was worried. They were all protective of Beth and two of their best fighters were out there somewhere.

Glenn set his empty plate aside and went to stand in front of Maggie. "Hey, quit worrying. They will be fine. You'll see."

Maggie sighed and stared at him and then she threw herself into his arms. He pulled her tight and she rested her head on his chest. When she pulled back her eyes were red.

"I need to be out there. I can't stand just sitting here." Maggie said.

Glenn pushed her hair from her face gently. "Listen, Daryl is a great tracker and a great fighter. As much as I hate to admit it, Merle is a formidable opponent as well. There's not much more we can do but wait."

Maggie shrugged. She didn't like admitting anything good about Merle but she would admit he seemed a little different ever since he had kidnapped Michonne. She still couldn't figure out why he had had a change of heart. But, he had ended up bringing her back and ever since his mood was different.

She couldn't figure out what it was about Merle that Beth was attracted to. Sure, he was attractive for a man his age, but he was rude and he didn't have any manners at all. She worried that her sister was getting into more than she could handle. She turned back to the rail and scanned the woods for the thousandth time.

_She knew Daryl was a great tracker, so why weren't they back yet?_

…

Carol scooped beans and rice on a plate. It was all she had to offer right now because there was no meat. Daryl was usually pretty good about finding her something to cook but since he had been gone for a day searching for Beth and Merle, they were living on a vegetarian diet. She grabbed the plate and a bottle of water and walked to Hershel's cell. He hadn't come out much since hearing of Beth's disappearance. She had checked on him a few times and found him praying and reading from his bible.

She stood there for a moment and looked in at him before knocking. He was sitting on his bunk with his bible open on his lap and his head down. She wasn't sure if he was in the middle of a prayer or not and she hesitated. After a few minutes when he didn't look up or move she grew alarmed. She walked in and set the plate on a desk and turned to him. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized he had fallen asleep.

_Poor thing is so exhausted. None of us are sleeping well these days._

She lightly touched his shoulder and he jumped a little as he was startled awake. Tilting his head up, he looked at Carol expectantly and she shook her head no. He sighed and closed his bible.

Hershel kept waiting to hear news of his daughter's return. He said a prayer almost every hour for her safety and the safety of Daryl and Merle. He didn't agree with his daughter's choice but he still wanted them back here safely. He would handle her relationship with Merle once she was safe inside the prison.

"I brought you some food." Carol said softly. She gestured to the plate she had set upon the desk.

"Thank you, Carol." He said.

"You should eat. You need to keep your strength up." She rubbed his shoulder.

He smiled at her and put his hand over hers. "I promise I will. I appreciate your concern."

She nodded and squeezed his hand before walking out of the room.

Hershel slowly got up and went to sit at the desk. His body ached and he knew it was just old age catching up with him. It was a hard life for someone his age. Even though he had been active on his farm, he had never done anything like this. Especially not with just one leg.

He looked down at the food before him and couldn't bring himself to eat. He couldn't eat while his daughter was out there and he had no way of knowing if she was hungry or hurt. He pushed the plate away and glanced up as a shadow filled the doorway.

Rick cleared his throat. "How are you doing? You need anything?" He asked.

Hershel sat back. "My daughter." He said softly.

Rick looked at the ground and nodded. "I know. We're all praying for their safe return. You know I would send someone else out if I thought it was safe. It's too risky and we have no way of knowing where they might be."

"I know. Daryl and Merle are good trackers. I've just got to have faith that they are somehow all together. Why would she do this, Rick?" Hershel rubbed his forehead.

Rick shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know. I'll be the first to admit I'm not a fan of Merle. With that being said, he is a good tracker and he knows the Governor better than any of us. I am confident that between him and Daryl, they will bring Beth home."

"I suppose I should be grateful that this is the first majorly foolish thing she's ever done," Hershel chuckled. "Why the things Maggie used to pull…" He smiled at the memories.

Rick smiled at him. "Maggie's a great girl. So is Beth. I can't tell you what she's thinking. I don't have much experience with teenagers. Carl won't even have much to do with me." Rick swallowed and looked off to the wall.

Hershel got up and hobbled to where Rick stood. He clamped a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You're a good father, Rick. Don't you ever doubt that."

Rick looked at him but remained silent.

…..

Carol walked into the yard and noticed Michonne sitting on the bleachers looking out towards the woods. She had been at dinner but she had been more silent than usual and Carol wondered what she was thinking. She didn't know Michonne too well but she had a lot of respect for her. She had always been a mystery to Carol, and that intrigued her. She always enjoyed mysteries.

She walked over and sat down next to Michonne. Michonne's eyes slid over to acknowledge her presence but she said nothing as Carol sat. They sat in a companionable silence for a while and Carol leaned back to let the sun beat down on her.

"Might as well work on my tan while I'm keeping an eye out, right?" Carol said suddenly.

She noticed the corners of Michonne's mouth twitch as she almost smiled at that. Carol grinned to herself.

"Of course, it might take me a while to catch up to your tan." She added. This time Michonne did snicker and Carol laughed. "Sorry, bad joke. I just couldn't stand all this waiting on pins and needles. If I just sit here, I'll worry myself to death."

Michonne studied Carol silently for a moment. "Worrying never does anyone any good."

"I know. I tell myself that all the time, but I still worry. We've got good people out there. Well, I'm not sure about Merle." Carol said.

"He's a complicated man." Michonne said softly. Carol glanced at her as she looked out over the yard. There were a few walkers down at the fences, no doubt searching for food.

"What happened between the two of you out there?" Carol suddenly asked. She had wanted to ask for some time since it happened. No one had really gotten the whole story they just knew that Merle had kidnapped Michonne while following Rick's orders to turn her over to the Governor. Except, no one had told Merle Rick had changed his mind and by then they were gone. Merle had ended up turning her loose and sending her back. Things had happened and he had continued on to the Governor and took out a lot of his men before the Governor ran off. Now here they were, with no idea where the Governor was.

Michonne looked down at the concrete for a few moments before speaking. "He pulled over and made me get out of the car. He said he needed to take care of some things. I was speechless that he would just let me go. He was very intent on delivering me to the Governor," Michonne paused to pick up a rock on the bleachers. "I get the sense that he regrets the way things have turned out, especially between him and his brother. I think he was trying to redeem himself the only way Merle knew how."

Carol thought about that. Maybe Michonne was right. It was hard to wrap her mind around it. She knew that Daryl loved his brother and she cared a lot about Daryl. She sighed and drew her knees up to her chest. Maybe no one would ever figure Merle out.

….

Rick walked up the stairs to the guard shack and leaned against the railing next to Glenn. Glenn glanced at him and then went back to watching the woods.

"I keep thinking I see something moving and then when I rub my eyes it's gone. I think my brain might be playing tricks on me." Glenn commented.

"Lack of sleep most likely. Why don't you take a break?" Rick asked.

Glenn shook his head. "No. Beth is my sister in law. I have to keep watch for Maggie."

Rick turned but didn't see Maggie anywhere around. "Where is Maggie?"

"She's in her cell. She's supposed to be sleeping but if she thinks I'm not out here then she'll get back up and come out here herself. It took me forever to convince her to go in and rest. She needs her sleep more than I do."

Rick regarded him carefully. He gestured to the pallet they had on the floor. "Why don't you take a quick nap and let me take over? I'll wake you if Maggie comes. You're no good to anyone like this."

"Are you sure? I probably only need an hour. I can wait if you're not sure though." Glenn said.

Rick chuckled. "Go. This isn't my first watch. I think I can handle things for at _least_ an hour."

"Okay. You'll wake me if they show? Or if Maggie comes?"

"Absolutely. Now go." Rick replied.

He watched Glenn disappear inside the door and a few minutes later, he was treated to the sounds of light snoring. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Everyone was falling apart. He feared for what would happen if the Governor did strike now. They weren't ready. Even with the Woodbury residents, they wouldn't stand much of a chance. A lot of the residents that were bussed over were women and senior citizens. There were a few men, but they weren't very skilled. Rick doubted that any of them had ever been involved in hand to hand combat. The Governor had always used select people to take care of outside situations. Everyone in the Governor's group had been expendable.

Rick was worried about the others. Granted it had only been a day since Daryl had been gone, but Rick knew Daryl was fast. He was the best they had and if he wasn't back yet, then that might mean bad news. He struggled with the decision to send a small group out. He wished he knew if the others were alive. He didn't like having their people out there like this. If anyone died, Rick would feel responsible. And if they were all dead- well Rick didn't want to think about that.

He rested his forearms on the rail and went back to searching the woods.

It was going to be a long day.


	15. Chapter 15

They had been walking for some time when they came into a small town and Beth followed Merle over to a bench where she gratefully sat down. Merle scanned the area while Beth took some food out of her pack. She divided up bags of chips and beef jerky between them and Merle finally sat down next to her.

"How long are we going to keep walking?" Beth asked.

"Long as it takes. Bastards gotta be 'round here somewhere." Merle muttered.

Beth didn't reply and instead focused on her food. She was tired and she really just wanted to rest for a bit. They finished off their lunch in silence and Beth was putting her pack back on when Merle shoved her around the corner of the building roughly.

"What the-" Beth tried to speak but Merle's hand quickly covered her mouth.

"Shh..." He whispered.

She nodded in understanding and he stepped to the side to peer around the building. They could hear voices but she could only make out snippets of the conversation. She watched Merle's jaw tighten and his eyes harden. She heard doors slam and then the rumble of an engine. After a few minutes, Merle turned back to her. He looked deep in thought.

"What's going on?" Beth whispered.

"They preparin' ta strike the prison. Should be there at first light." Merle told her.

Beth gasped. "We have to get back! We have to warn everyone!" She cried.

"Merle!" Daryl's voice shouted from behind them.

Beth watched Daryl come running up to Merle and push him. Merle didn't fall but he did step back a few steps.

"What the hell! You jus' take off with Beth an' now everyone is worried sick!" Daryl yelled.

"Keep yer voice down brotha. The Gov'nor's men been spotted." Merle warned.

Daryl glanced around. "Where?" He asked.

"Down tha street. No more 'n ten minutes ago." Merle replied.

Daryl's gaze swept to her briefly. "You alright?"

Beth blushed a little and nodded. "I'm fine."

Merle looked at her and winked. She smiled and looked away. Daryl didn't miss the exchange.

"Glad yer here lil' brotha. Need ya to take blondie here back to tha prison. I got some business ta take care of." Merle said.

Beth instantly bristled. "No! I'm coming with you. You said-"

"I never said nothin' darlin'. You assumed." Merle interrupted.

Beth crossed her arms. "I won't go unless you come back with us."

Daryl watched the exchange with interest. He wasn't used to seeing women stand up to his brother and he was a little amused.

"Tha hell ya won't! Yer place is with yer family! What if somethin' happens ta them an' yer here?"

Beth went pale at the thought. She didn't want anything to happen to her family. She didn't want to leave Merle either. She hated him for making her choose.

"What are you doin' Merle?" Daryl asked.

"Gonna follow up on some things brotha. Work much better on my own. Gonna take care of 'em and be right behind ya soon." Merle responded.

Beth turned to him and put her hand on his arm. He looked down at her gruffly. "Be careful." She pleaded.

Something in Merle's eyes flashed and then was gone. "Ain't gotta worry 'bout me darlin'. It's everyone else that ya need to be worried 'bout."

They stared at each other for a few minutes and Daryl turned away to give them privacy and also because he didn't care to see it. Beth leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to Merle's mouth. As she started to pull away, his arms tightened around her waist and he pulled her back for a deeper kiss. It was the most intimate kiss she had ever shared with him and when he finally set her down, it took her a minute to compose herself. He smirked at her.

"You jus' remember that girlie'." He muttered.

"Always." She whispered in his ear.

...

Daryl listened to their conversation with half an' ear. He didn't know what the hell his brother had planned but he knew better than to argue with him when his mind was set. Daryl's mind was still reeling from the fact that the Governor's men had been spotted. He was sure he himself had checked this area at least once. He wondered where their base was. He turned when he realized that they were finished.

He nodded at Merle. "See you back at the prison?"

Merle gave him a slight nod. He waited til' Beth walked over to the wall to grab her pack where she had dropped it earlier and he stepped off to the side with Daryl.

"Take care of 'er. Stay outta open areas and get back there fast as ya can. This bastard's unpredictable." Merle said.

Daryl followed Merle's gaze to Beth. He had never seen his brother react this way to any woman before and it was new to him.

"I wouldn't let nothin' happen to 'er. I know these woods better than the Governor, we'll be fine." Daryl said.

Merle nodded at him as Beth walked back over. She grabbed Merle's hand and squeezed it gently. Merle held her hand for a minute or two and then reluctantly let go. With one last glance and a smirk, he jogged off behind the stores and they didn't see him anymore.

"Well, guess it's jus' you an' me. Let's go." Daryl told her.

Beth nodded slowly and fell in to step beside him.

...

The walk back was quiet and Daryl took her through the woods instead of using the road. They encountered a few walkers, but Beth didn't have to do anything other than watch Daryl raise his bow and pick them off. She was grateful, as she was running desperately low on energy. She was glad for the shade of the trees, at least it offered moderate relief from the sun. She began to lag behind and finally Daryl stopped at a fallen tree and pushed her down on it. He grabbed a bottle of water from her pack and stuck it in front of her face.

"Drink." He commanded.

He didn't have to tell her twice. She greedily drank the water, trying to replenish her bodies thirst.

"Easy," Daryl said. "You'll toss it back up you ain't careful."

Beth reluctantly took the bottle from her mouth and wiped at her face with her hand.

"Thanks," She replied. "I'm sorry you had to come looking for me."

Daryl cast her a glance before focusing on the woods again. He hadn't sat down and she wondered if he ever grew tired.

"I came for my brother too. It was stupid o' ya to run off like that." He chewed on his thumb.

Beth looked down at her feet. She knew it was stupid, but at the time it seemed right. Even now, she was torn between going back for Merle and going with Daryl to her family.

"I know. How is everyone?" She asked.

Daryl stopped chewing and shot his bow through a squirrel. Pulling the bolt out of the tree, he stuck the squirrel in his pack. He wiped the bolt on his pants before speaking.

"When I left they was worried. I been gone a day so I don't know what's goin' on now." Beth thought he sounded kind of mad and she was sorry that he had been dragged out to look for them. She wiped her forehead with her shirt and sighed.

"You ready yet or what? We gotta get back by dark." Daryl said.

"Sure." Beth stood up wearily and they trudged on through the forest.

...

Merle slipped through the alleys between the stores, killing walkers as he went. He had a plan of sorts in mind, he just had to put it in motion. He disappeared into a store and came out a few minutes later with a few supplies. He slipped off in the direction that the vehicle had went in earlier.

He hoped he could pull this off.

...

Glenn was on watch again when he spotted the first vehicle. It came flying down the road towards the prison going too fast for comfort. Glenn grabbed the binoculars and squinted at the car. As he focused in on the driver's side of the car, his mouth dropped open.

"Oh _shit_." Glenn muttered.

...

Daryl was dying of thirst and he kept wiping the sweat from his brow with the rag he kept in his pocket. They had drank the last of their water about an hour ago and the heat was beating down on them as they crossed the field next to the house where he had found Merle's weed.

Beth was quiet at least. She had attempted to make conversation when they had first started walking but Daryl was preoccupied with getting back and hoping that Merle knew what the hell he was doing. He had learned a long time ago that once Merle got it in his head to do something, it was best to just step back and let him go. It was hard at times, but Daryl didn't have a choice in the matter. He would have followed him if he hadn't felt a responsibility to see Beth back to the others. The good thing about the return trip was that the walkers had been scarce and Daryl was grateful for the break.

Daryl wanted nothing more than to shower as soon as they got back. He knew Beth was barely hanging on. She was severely lagging and if he had more strength in him he might try to carry her some. But he was out of strength and it was getting close to dusk soon. The sun had begun it's descent towards the earth. They had crossed into the woods and they were so close now Daryl felt a renewed energy to push those last few yards.

"Almost there." Daryl muttered more to himself than to Beth.

He had walked a few more steps when suddenly he felt the ground shake under his feet. Glancing at Beth, he reached out a hand to steady her. Her face mirrored his shock as they paused to figure out what was happening. Realization dawned on Daryl as he heard a loud boom followed by gunfire.

Beth's face had gone chalky white. "The Governor." She whispered.

Daryl's mind scrambled for what to do. He couldn't very well take Beth into the midst of a war. He also couldn't leave her out here with it being close to dark. She would be walker bait in minutes with the noises that were sure to attract them for miles. _I thought Merle had said the Governor wasn't gonna strike 'til tomorrow? The son of a bitch lied?_

"Here. I'm gonna give ya a boost into this tree. You stay here and don't come down 'til one of us comes for ya." Daryl commanded.

"I can't. Daryl, I can't. I'm scared." Beth whispered and her voice shook.

"It's alright. Do as I say. They need me in there! I have ta keep you safe!" Daryl yelled.

Beth didn't respond but she nodded in agreement and he grabbed her pack from her so that he could boost her up. When he got her situated on the first limb, he tossed her pack to her and watched her climb up to the second. If she sat perfectly still, no one would know she was there. Satisfied that that was the best that he could do given the current situation, he turned to go.

"Daryl?" Beth called out.

He turned. "We _will_ come back for you. I promise."

He ran off in the direction of the prison and the terror that was sure to await him.

...

Merle watched from his cover at the trees as the Governor sent a car barreling down to the gates. He saw Martinez shoot at the gas tank multiple times until the car exploded in a resounding boom that shook the very ground on which he stood.

"Son's o' bitches." Merle muttered.

He knew the people at the prison wouldn't be prepared for this war and he purposely sent Beth and Daryl back knowing they weren't likely to make it before the Governor struck. Part of him felt guilt at lying to them about when the Governor would strike but he had to ensure they weren't in the line of fire.

Merle gave one last glance at his array of weapons. This was the best he could offer them with the limited time he had had. He had to steal a car just to make it back here in time. He grabbed up his flamethrower made out of a super soaker water gun and put it to the side. He picked up the remote controlled helicopter next and made sure the grenade was strapped to it tightly. He waited and watched. So far, the others at the prison seemed to be holding their own and he felt a sense of pride at that.

He had to wait until just the right moment to make his hits have the most impact. He hadn't spotted the Governor just yet but he knew he wasn't far. He wouldn't miss this for anything, Merle knew. He surveyed the area and saw two of the Governor's men go down in a shower of bullets. He had no way of knowing if there were any casualties on the other side. He finally spotted the Governor's head amongst the others. It was becoming hard to keep up with everyone as walkers began pouring out of the woods, being drawn to the noises.

Merle twisted at the last minute to bring his blade through a walker's throat and up into it's skull. He pulled it out and surveyed the scene again. It was time. He set the helicopter up and it began it's rise into the air. Just as he suspected, no one noticed the whirring noise of the small helicopter over all of the gunfire and activity down below. Merle maneuvered the helicopter over to the Governor and prepared it for it's crushing nosedive. At the last minute, he saw Daryl run out of the woods and he cursed and averted the helicopter out of the way. It took a nosedive several feet in the other direction and it quickly exploded.

Merle scanned the woods for Daryl and saw him slip through the fence into the prison under the cover of the explosion. Merle wiped at the sweat on his forehead. His body ached. He saw that indeed his explosion took out three men and several walkers and he grinned wickedly.

He picked up his flamethrower and made sure his gun was still tucked into the band of his jeans. He had to take down another walker as he made his way closer to the edge. He could see a few from the prison crouching behind abandoned cars and firing off rounds. He didn't want to be mistaken for one of the Governor's henchman so he had to be careful where he stood. The smell of gunpowder hung heavy in the air and the air was thick with smoke from the explosions. He used it to his advantage and snuck up to the back of the group behind the Governor. No one gave him any notice at all and he clamped his jaw tight and pulled out a match. Striking it at just the right moment, he gave a war cry and began shooting the flames out over the Governor and anyone who stood in his path.

"Die fuckers! How ya like that bitches!" Merle yelled and laughed crazily.

He swept his rain of fire until he was all out and he stood there and watched them burn. The sounds of the screams filled the air and Merle watched mesmerized as the flesh was burned off their bodies. He could see the ones from the prison who were closest to the gate stand and try to see what was going on. He caught his brother's eye and Daryl grinned and raised his crossbow into the air in a salute. Merle chuckled and tipped his blade into the air.

That's when he felt the first bullet tear into his body. He clutched his stomach in surprise as the blood began pouring through his fingers. An angel with blonde hair flashed before his eyes.

...

Daryl watched in horror as the bullet tore into Merle. He yelled and looked to see who was shooting but he couldn't tell much through the lingering smoke. He heard Rick's shout in the distance and then another bullet hit Merle in the head and his body fell back a step from the force and he crumpled to the ground.

"Noooo!" Daryl yelled.

Everything around him began happening in slow motion as he saw the others begin to scramble around. He heard Glenn call out to Rick and then Rick went running over to someone Daryl recognized vaguely from Woodbury.

The guy was smiling and clearly thought he had taken out the last man standing from the Governor's group. Daryl watched his expression change as Rick drew closer and then to Daryl's further surprise, Carl shot him.

Daryl turned back towards his brother's body as the earth began to tilt and sway underneath him. He grabbed onto part of the fence for support and threw up what little he had eaten earlier. He kept puking until his body began to shudder and his stomach clenched in protest. He fell to the ground and crawled over to Merle's body.

When he reached Merle's side, he nudged him with his fist and Merle's head fell to the side, his eyes staring glassy and unblinking into Daryl's. Daryl grabbed Merle's head and shook it as if he could wake him up from a deep sleep.

"Nooo!" Daryl yelled again.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard a noise and turned in time to see Beth stumble out of the woods.

...

Beth couldn't wait any longer for someone to come. She had heard all gunfire cease and she had waited to be sure but no more came. She had jumped down from the lowest branch and made her way towards the prison. She walked out of the woods and the first thing she noticed was that there were bodies everywhere. Anxiously, she scanned the faces but didn't see anyone from her group or family. She heard sobbing and turned to see Daryl crouching by a body on the ground. Her heart stopped.

She recognized the clothes and prosthetic before she saw the face. Already shaking her head in disbelief, she stumbled over to where Daryl was and saw the bullet wounds. She looked up into Daryl's tearful gaze and screamed. She screamed and screamed.

She screamed until there was nothing left but blackness.

****................  
** **


End file.
